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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: wound · jam · kick · stock · pop · mug · stem · pass

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. wound — an injury
  5. mug — a cup
  6. stock — shares
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. pop — soda
  12. stock — goods
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. kick — in football
  17. pop — music
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. mug — to rob
  20. wound — an injury
  21. stem — to come from
  22. mug — a face
  23. pass — a permit
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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