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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: stock · bore · object · press · wound · mate · content · mark

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bore — to tire
  4. wound — an injury
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — a thing
  7. stock — goods
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — to breed
  10. press — to push
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. press — a publisher
  17. stock — shares
  18. mark — a grade
  19. content — the amount
  20. mate — a partner
  21. content — happy
  22. bore — to drill
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. object — an aim

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