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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. track — to keep track
  5. can — to be able to
  6. content — the amount
  7. file — a line of people
  8. sharp — clever
  9. file — a document
  10. track — a path
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. can — a tin
  13. cap — of ice
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stock — shares
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. cap — a hat
  18. suit — in cards
  19. content — happy
  20. cap — a lid
  21. track — a song
  22. can — a tin
  23. file — a tool
  24. suit — clothes

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