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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.

Words on the sheet
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: content · stock · game · file · pass · swing · lash · foot

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. swing — to play on
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. pass — a permit
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. swing — in golf
  8. file — a document
  9. content — happy
  10. file — a tool
  11. stock — goods
  12. foot — a measure
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. game — a match
  16. stock — shares
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. content — the amount
  23. file — a line of people
  24. swing — music

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