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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: pass · stock · pop · arm · cap · bulb · jam · mate

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pop — music
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. pop — soda
  9. mate — to breed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. cap — a lid
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. mate — a partner
  15. stock — goods
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. mate — a friend
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pass — a permit
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. cap — of ice
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pop — to visit
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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