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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: stock · mark · ball · jam · stick · kick · racket · temple

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. mark — a trace
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. ball — a dance
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — in football
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. ball — a great time
  22. stock — goods
  23. mark — a grade
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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