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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: mark · rock · stock · content · wave · field · lean · pop

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. stock — goods
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. lean — thin
  5. field — a subject
  6. content — the amount
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. stock — shares
  11. lean — to bend
  12. field — farmland
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pop — music
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rock — music
  21. pop — soda
  22. mark — a trace
  23. field — for sport
  24. content — happy

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