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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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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: kick · rock · hand · pit · march · jam · present · stem

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. march — the month
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. rock — a stone
  6. kick — in football
  7. hand — help
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. march — the month
  12. present — the time now
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. rock — music
  15. present — a gift
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. hand — in cards
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. march — music
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. stem — to come from
  23. pit — a hole
  24. present — there

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