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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — goods
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pound — a weight
  5. track — to keep track
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. track — a song
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. stock — shares
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. track — a path
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. suit — to fit
  19. content — the amount
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mark — a grade
  23. content — happy
  24. mark — a trace

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