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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: stock · key · calf · mine · rest · content · can · charge

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. rest — what's left
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. key — the most important part
  7. stock — shares
  8. content — the amount
  9. charge — a price
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. can — a tin
  12. charge — electricity
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rest — a break
  15. can — a tin
  16. key — in music
  17. stock — goods
  18. charge — in control
  19. mine — for digging
  20. can — to be able to
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. key — for a lock

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