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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 120 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: track · rush · stock · foot · content · bore · rest · tear

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. rest — a break
  6. tear — from crying
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. content — happy
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. track — a path
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. foot — a measure
  16. stock — goods
  17. tear — to rip
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. track — a song
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rest — what's left
  22. tear — from crying
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rest — what's left

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