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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: rock · staff · scale · stock · wound · jam · safe · pound

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. staff — employees
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. wound — an injury
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. stock — shares
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. scale — size or range
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. rock — a stone
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. rock — music
  17. staff — employees
  18. stock — goods
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. wound — an injury
  21. pound — a weight
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — in music
  24. safe — out of danger

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