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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. stock — goods
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. track — a song
  8. stock — shares
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a path
  13. tear — from crying
  14. content — the amount
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. content — happy
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. dip — to sink
  22. tear — from crying
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. tear — to rip

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