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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: plane · bank · pit · stock · jam · squash · mate · wave

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bank — for money
  6. pit — a hole
  7. squash — the sport
  8. pit — in a race
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — shares
  14. bank — for money
  15. plane — a tool
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bank — of a river
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. squash — to crush
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. mate — a friend

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