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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.

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: safe · object · rest · stock · jam · tube · ball · perch

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. tube — the underground
  3. object — an aim
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. perch — the fish
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. ball — a dance
  9. object — a thing
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ball — a great time
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — shares
  21. rest — a break
  22. object — to protest
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. tube — a container

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