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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: toast · key · tube · jam · firm · stick · stock · calf

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. key — the most important part
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. firm — a company
  7. stock — goods
  8. firm — decided
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. key — for a lock
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. key — in music
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. tube — the underground
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. firm — steady
  22. tube — a container
  23. toast — bread
  24. calf — a young animal

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