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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: stand · stick · pop · cold · can · cap · jam · rush

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. cap — of ice
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rush — hurry
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. pop — to visit
  11. cap — a lid
  12. pop — soda
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. cold — an illness
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. cold — not warm
  18. cap — a hat
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. stand — to bear
  21. can — a tin
  22. pop — music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rush — to hurry

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