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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 · drill · object · suit · bore · roll · toast · content

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stock — goods
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. object — a thing
  7. content — the amount
  8. suit — in cards
  9. content — happy
  10. bore — to drill
  11. drill — army training
  12. stock — shares
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. drill — a practice
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. toast — bread
  19. object — an aim
  20. drill — the tool
  21. object — to protest
  22. suit — to fit
  23. roll — a list
  24. bore — to tire

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