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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: pit · file · cell · stock · content · mate · object · tube

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. object — an aim
  3. file — a tool
  4. stock — goods
  5. cell — in biology
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. cell — a phone
  9. tube — the underground
  10. pit — a hole
  11. mate — a friend
  12. object — a thing
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. file — a document
  15. object — to protest
  16. tube — a container
  17. stock — shares
  18. mate — to breed
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. mate — a partner
  21. content — happy
  22. pit — in a race
  23. file — a line of people
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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