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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: ruler · swing · content · hide · stock · bowl · mug · fork

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. stock — goods
  3. content — happy
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — music
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. swing — in golf
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. content — the amount
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. stock — shares
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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