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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 · scale · roll · bowl · net · club · craft · stock

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. scale — size or range
  3. roll — a cake
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. net — in sport
  6. net — after costs
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. club — a group
  9. craft — boats
  10. stock — shares
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. club — for golf
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. roll — a list
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — a skill
  22. stock — goods
  23. club — for dancing
  24. net — for catching

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