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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: stock · lash · mug · firm · content · pop · jam · mate

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. content — the amount
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. mate — a friend
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mug — a face
  12. pop — to visit
  13. mug — a cup
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. mate — a partner
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. stock — shares
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. pop — music
  20. firm — a company
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. content — happy
  23. mug — to rob
  24. pop — soda

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