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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 · wax · object · stock · deal · straw · shower · wind

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. deal — to handle
  3. object — to protest
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. object — an aim
  6. shower — to wash
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. stock — goods
  11. object — a thing
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. wind — moving air
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wind — moving air
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. stock — shares
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wax — to grow
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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