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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: mug · foot · pop · stem · fan · row · jam · swing

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. row — to paddle
  3. mug — to rob
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pop — to visit
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. pop — music
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. foot — a measure
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. swing — to play on
  13. pop — soda
  14. row — a line
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — music
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. mug — a face
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. mug — a cup
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stem — to come from

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