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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: deal · content · rush · mouse · craft · stock · rock · lie

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. lie — to recline
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — the amount
  7. craft — boats
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. rush — hurry
  10. stock — goods
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rock — music
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. stock — shares
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rock — a stone
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. deal — an agreement

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