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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: rule · bear · key · stock · sharp · rush · roll · content

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. rule — government
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stock — goods
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. content — the amount
  11. key — the most important part
  12. roll — a list
  13. rule — a law
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. content — happy
  16. roll — a cake
  17. stock — shares
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. key — in music
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. key — for a lock
  23. sharp — clever
  24. rush — a thrill

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