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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: pit · leaves · mug · roll · swing · wave · stock · pop

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. pit — a hole
  3. stock — shares
  4. roll — a cake
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stock — goods
  8. pop — soda
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pop — to visit
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. mug — a face
  13. swing — in golf
  14. pit — in a race
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. swing — music
  18. swing — to play on
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. pop — music
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. mug — to rob
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. mug — a cup

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