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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 · pop · mark · content · racket · suit · cap · bay

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. content — happy
  3. stock — shares
  4. mark — a trace
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pop — soda
  8. cap — a lid
  9. stock — goods
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. cap — of ice
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pop — to visit
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cap — a hat
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. content — the amount
  22. pop — music
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a grade

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