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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: suit · land · pound · can · jam · object · pop · stem

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. land — ground
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pop — soda
  5. can — a tin
  6. land — to come down
  7. suit — in cards
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. can — to be able to
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. pop — music
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pop — to visit
  17. land — a country
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — a thing
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. can — a tin
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. suit — to fit

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