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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. bore — to drill
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bore — to tire
  7. chip — for betting
  8. content — the amount
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. chip — to eat
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. content — happy
  14. lean — thin
  15. rock — music
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. lean — to bend
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — shares
  24. bore — gave birth

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