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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: sharp · band · ball · wake · stock · can · jam · bear

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. band — a ring
  4. wake — a trail
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. stock — shares
  7. bear — the animal
  8. sharp — clever
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bear — the animal
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. can — to be able to
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a music group
  20. stock — goods
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. can — a tin
  24. ball — a great time

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