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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 116 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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. saw — the tool
  3. can — a tin
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. can — to be able to
  8. content — happy
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. row — a line
  11. row — to paddle
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. saw — the tool
  15. content — the amount
  16. cell — in biology
  17. can — a tin
  18. vault — a safe
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bore — to drill
  21. stock — shares
  22. cell — a phone
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bore — to tire

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