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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. saw — the tool
  3. deal — to handle
  4. cue — for pool
  5. stock — goods
  6. fall — the season
  7. cue — a hint
  8. track — a path
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. saw — the tool
  11. content — the amount
  12. cap — of ice
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. content — happy
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. cap — a lid
  17. stock — shares
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — to drop
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cue — a signal
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a song

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