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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: last · tube · content · bay · stock · fine · row · fork

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. tube — a container
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. content — happy
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. stock — goods
  7. content — the amount
  8. last — finally
  9. last — final
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fork — in a road
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. fine — all right
  14. row — to paddle
  15. last — to go on
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. fine — high quality
  19. stock — shares
  20. row — a line
  21. tube — the underground
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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