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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: sharp · stock · cabinet · pit · present · jam · pitcher · drill

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. drill — a practice
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. drill — army training
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. present — a gift
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. drill — the tool
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. present — there
  18. stock — goods
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — clever
  21. stock — shares
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. present — the time now

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