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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: pitcher · hide · jam · ruler · toast · row · shower · stock

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. row — to paddle
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. shower — to wash
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. row — a line
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. shower — rain
  12. stock — goods
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. stock — shares
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. toast — bread
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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