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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 · key · ball · fine · patient · bass · stock · tear

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. tear — from crying
  3. ball — a great time
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. tear — from crying
  6. fine — high quality
  7. key — in music
  8. stock — shares
  9. bass — low music
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. key — for a lock
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. tear — to rip
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bass — the fish
  21. key — the most important part
  22. ball — a dance
  23. fine — all right
  24. stock — goods

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