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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: land · pass · mug · stock · rock · calf · spring · fan

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. spring — a coil
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a cup
  8. land — to come down
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. spring — the season
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. stock — shares
  19. rock — music
  20. spring — of water
  21. rock — a stone
  22. land — ground
  23. pass — a permit
  24. land — a country

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