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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: mug · fine · rule · stock · bat · file · content · nail

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. file — a document
  6. bat — the animal
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — goods
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. mug — to rob
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. file — a tool
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. content — the amount
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — a cup
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. content — happy
  21. rule — government
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rule — a law

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