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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: kick · suit · stock · field · current · pit · content · bear

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. current — of water
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. bear — the animal
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — in a race
  7. field — a subject
  8. stock — goods
  9. suit — to fit
  10. current — happening now
  11. content — happy
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. content — the amount
  14. current — electric
  15. field — farmland
  16. suit — in cards
  17. field — for sport
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stock — shares
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. kick — in football
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. content — videos and posts

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