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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: suit · calf · rock · jam · stock · pitch · pound · face

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. suit — clothes
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. face — part of the head
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. face — to confront
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. face — to point toward
  12. stock — goods
  13. pound — a weight
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. stock — shares
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. rock — to move gently

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