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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 116 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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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: lean · track · content · stock · stick · fork · object · press

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. lean — to bend
  3. press — a publisher
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. content — the amount
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — thin
  10. press — to push
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. track — a song
  13. object — a thing
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fork — in a road
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. press — newspapers
  18. content — happy
  19. object — an aim
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. object — to protest

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