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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · date · pitcher · leaves · land · stock · wave · jam

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. land — ground
  7. can — a tin
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — a country
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. date — the fruit
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. can — to be able to
  20. stock — shares
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. can — a tin
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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