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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: field · scale · bay · stem · jam · stock · suit · straw

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. stock — goods
  6. suit — to fit
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — in music
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. stock — shares
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. suit — in cards
  19. field — a subject
  20. scale — size or range
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. suit — clothes
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. field — farmland

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