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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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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: field · present · dip · stick · content · rock · stock · wind

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rock — a stone
  3. present — a gift
  4. wind — moving air
  5. field — farmland
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stock — shares
  10. rock — music
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. present — there
  14. content — happy
  15. wind — moving air
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. present — the time now
  19. field — for sport
  20. field — a subject
  21. content — the amount
  22. stock — goods
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stock — a soup base

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