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

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. pop — soda
  3. content — the amount
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pop — music
  6. stock — goods
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. stock — shares
  12. content — happy
  13. sharp — clever
  14. can — a tin
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mouse — the animal

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