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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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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: content · sharp · bore · stock · swing · ruler · chip · snap

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. chip — for betting
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. sharp — clever
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. swing — to play on
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stock — goods
  11. swing — in golf
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. stock — shares
  17. content — happy
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. snap — to click
  22. bore — to drill
  23. content — the amount
  24. bore — gave birth

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