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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: jam · stock · dip · ball · bound · shower · pitch · kick

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. ball — a great time
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bound — obliged
  8. kick — in football
  9. bound — certain
  10. shower — to wash
  11. dip — to sink
  12. stock — shares
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bound — tied together
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. pitch — completely
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. shower — rain
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. ball — a dance

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