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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: bowl · rock · pass · jam · object · cap · kick · stock

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. stock — shares
  4. object — to protest
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. pass — a permit
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. stock — goods
  14. object — a thing
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. kick — in football
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. object — an aim
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. cap — a lid
  24. kick — with a leg

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