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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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 · staff · bass · content · jam · current · pitcher · spell

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. current — happening now
  3. stock — shares
  4. spell — a short time
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. content — happy
  7. bass — the fish
  8. spell — magic
  9. bass — low music
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. spell — letters
  14. stock — goods
  15. staff — employees
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. current — of water
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. content — the amount
  24. current — electric

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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