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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 · racket · jam · pit · mug · leaves · roll · band

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stock — goods
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. stock — shares
  6. mug — a face
  7. pit — in a race
  8. band — a music group
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. pit — a hole
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. roll — a list
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. roll — a cake
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. band — a ring
  22. mug — to rob
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. mug — a cup

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