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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. stock — shares
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stock — goods
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. club — for dancing
  10. club — a group
  11. content — happy
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. club — for golf
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. content — the amount
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. dip — to sink
  18. snap — to click
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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