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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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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: pit · stem · wave · can · pop · jam · bowl · wind

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. can — a tin
  4. pop — soda
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. can — a tin
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pit — in a race
  13. stem — to come from
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. pop — music
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. can — to be able to
  24. wind — to turn a key

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