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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 · nail · squash · pound · stock · cabinet · cap · cell

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cell — in biology
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pound — a weight
  6. stock — shares
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a lid
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. squash — to crush
  12. stock — goods
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cap — a hat
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. squash — the sport
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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