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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: pitcher · bass · chip · cap · stock · calf · jam · cue

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bass — the fish
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. cap — a lid
  6. chip — to eat
  7. cue — a signal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bass — low music
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. chip — for betting
  13. cue — for pool
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cue — a hint
  20. stock — shares
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. stock — goods

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