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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 · ball · mouse · lean · pass · stock · pop · bound

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. lean — thin
  6. pop — to visit
  7. lean — to bend
  8. ball — a great time
  9. stock — shares
  10. pass — a permit
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pop — soda
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — obliged
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. bound — tied together
  24. pop — music

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