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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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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: sharp · content · bore · object · arm · fork · rash · stock

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. bore — to tire
  6. stock — goods
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. content — happy
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. content — the amount
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. sharp — clever
  16. stock — shares
  17. object — an aim
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. object — a thing
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. object — to protest

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