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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: tube · deal · ball · stand · cap · stock · can · content

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. cap — a hat
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. content — happy
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. stock — goods
  7. ball — a great time
  8. stock — shares
  9. stand — to bear
  10. can — to be able to
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. content — the amount
  15. tube — the underground
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. cap — a lid
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. ball — a dance
  22. tube — a container
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. can — a tin

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