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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: rock · stock · bear · clip · safe · pop · nail · jam

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. clip — a video
  5. pop — music
  6. clip — to cut
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — to visit
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — music
  16. bear — the animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. stock — goods
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bear — the animal
  23. clip — for paper
  24. nail — on a finger

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