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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. cue — a hint
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stock — goods
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stock — shares
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. content — the amount
  15. charge — a price
  16. rash — hasty
  17. content — happy
  18. pitch — completely
  19. stand — to bear
  20. cue — for pool
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rash — a series
  24. calf — a young animal

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