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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 116 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: present · content · stock · board · firm · can · land · fall

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. fall — to drop
  5. board — a committee
  6. present — there
  7. present — a gift
  8. content — the amount
  9. stock — goods
  10. land — to come down
  11. content — happy
  12. board — to get on
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — a company
  15. fall — the season
  16. land — a country
  17. can — a tin
  18. stock — shares
  19. present — the time now
  20. firm — steady
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. land — ground
  24. fall — to drop

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