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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 · ball · can · jam · rash · foot · pass · tear

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. stock — goods
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. ball — a great time
  6. can — to be able to
  7. ball — a dance
  8. rash — a series
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. can — a tin
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. tear — from crying
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. tear — from crying
  17. foot — a measure
  18. can — a tin
  19. pass — a permit
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. stock — shares
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. tear — to rip
  24. rash — hasty

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