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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 · bear · rest · stock · bowl · suit · rock · fork

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. rest — what's left
  6. content — happy
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stock — goods
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stock — shares
  16. rock — a stone
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rest — a break

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