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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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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: lie · firm · deal · current · content · rock · stock · row

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. stock — goods
  3. deal — to handle
  4. rock — a stone
  5. row — to paddle
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. lie — to recline
  10. rock — music
  11. content — happy
  12. current — of water
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. current — happening now
  19. content — the amount
  20. firm — decided
  21. row — a line
  22. stock — shares
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. current — electric

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