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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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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 · bore · face · current · content · mark · cap · hand

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bore — to tire
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. mark — a trace
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. content — the amount
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. current — electric
  9. cap — a lid
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bore — to drill
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. cap — a hat
  15. content — happy
  16. current — happening now
  17. stock — shares
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — part of the head
  20. stock — goods
  21. current — of water
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. cap — of ice
  24. face — to confront

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