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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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 · calf · pop · land · arm · can · roll · mug

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. land — to come down
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. mug — to rob
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mug — a cup
  8. pop — music
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — shares
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. land — a country
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mug — a face
  17. land — ground
  18. roll — a cake
  19. pop — soda
  20. can — a tin
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. pop — to visit
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. roll — a list

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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