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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 120 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
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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: field · temple · bore · content · rest · stock · racket · ball

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bore — to tire
  3. field — a subject
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. stock — goods
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. content — the amount
  10. ball — a dance
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bore — to drill
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. field — farmland
  15. content — happy
  16. ball — a great time
  17. field — for sport
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — shares
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. racket — a loud noise

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