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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: content · toast · trunk · pop · foot · sharp · wound · stock

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. pop — soda
  3. stock — goods
  4. foot — a measure
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. stock — shares
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. pop — to visit
  19. toast — bread
  20. content — happy
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. pop — music
  23. wound — an injury
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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