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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: bear · stock · jam · nail · bank · spell · net · pound

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. stock — shares
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stock — goods
  11. spell — magic
  12. net — for catching
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — letters
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bank — for money
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. pound — a weight
  22. net — after costs
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bank — for money

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