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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fine · rush · bowl · jam · ball · sharp · track · stock

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. stock — goods
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. fine — all right
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. ball — a dance
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. ball — a great time
  14. track — a song
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rush — hurry
  19. stock — shares
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — exactly

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com