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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: lie · sharp · content · file · can · bore · wind · stock

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. lie — to recline
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. bore — to drill
  5. can — a tin
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bore — to tire
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. content — the amount
  11. stock — shares
  12. content — happy
  13. can — a tin
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. file — a document
  16. stock — goods
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. file — a tool
  21. can — to be able to
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — clever
  24. wind — moving air

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