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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: jam · stock · cabinet · firm · ball · dip · root · mouse

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — a company
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stock — shares
  13. root — of a word
  14. dip — to sink
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stock — goods
  17. ball — a dance
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. root — the cause
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. ball — a great time
  23. root — of a plant
  24. mouse — for a computer

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