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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: key · pitcher · degree · stick · content · drill · stock · pit

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stock — goods
  5. content — the amount
  6. pit — a hole
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. key — the most important part
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. degree — from a university
  11. drill — a practice
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. content — happy
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — shares
  21. degree — temperature
  22. drill — army training
  23. key — for a lock
  24. degree — an amount

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