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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: kick · rule · leaves · jam · wind · wake · suit · stock

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. wind — moving air
  5. rule — government
  6. kick — in football
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. wind — moving air
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stock — shares
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. rule — a law
  22. stock — goods
  23. wake — a trail
  24. rule — to rule out

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