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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: face · jam · suit · band · kick · stock · pass · mug

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mug — to rob
  6. kick — in football
  7. suit — in cards
  8. face — to confront
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. face — to point toward
  11. pass — a permit
  12. stock — goods
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. mug — a face
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. suit — to fit
  18. band — a music group
  19. face — part of the head
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. band — a ring
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. stock — shares
  24. mug — a cup

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