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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 120 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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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: content · snap · stock · fork · present · rock · calf · deal

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — shares
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. present — there
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. snap — to click
  8. content — happy
  9. present — a gift
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. rock — a stone
  13. deal — to handle
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. rock — music
  17. present — the time now
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fork — in a road
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. content — the amount

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