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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 · foot · content · bear · date · deal · mug · bulb

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. date — the fruit
  6. deal — to handle
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stock — goods
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. content — happy
  16. bear — the animal
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mug — a face
  21. bulb — for light
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. foot — a measure
  24. stock — shares

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