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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 · jam · pound · stock · club · drill · rash · sharp

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. drill — army training
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. stock — shares
  8. rash — a series
  9. club — for dancing
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — the tool
  12. stock — goods
  13. rash — hasty
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. fine — all right
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — a group
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. pound — a weight
  23. sharp — clever
  24. rash — on the skin

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