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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 · pit · fine · track · stock · straw · bound · ground

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. ground — a position
  3. stock — shares
  4. ground — crushed
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. stock — goods
  9. track — to keep track
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. fine — all right
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — certain
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. track — a song
  18. pit — a hole
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. ground — the earth
  22. track — a path
  23. bound — tied together
  24. fine — high quality

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