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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  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. fork — in a road
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. content — the amount
  5. stock — shares
  6. pop — music
  7. swing — music
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pop — soda
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. pass — a permit
  13. swing — to play on
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bore — to drill
  16. chair — a leader
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. swing — in golf
  19. stock — goods
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. pop — to visit
  22. content — happy
  23. fork — to eat with
  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