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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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468
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 · mate · calf · stick · wave · mark · nail · stock

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — to breed
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. stock — goods
  11. mark — a trace
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stock — shares
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mate — a partner
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. mark — a grade
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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