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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.

Words on the sheet
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: date · dip · stock · fan · content · row · racket · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. date — the fruit
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. row — to paddle
  5. content — the amount
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. row — a line
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. stock — goods
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. content — happy
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. dip — to sink

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