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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: kick · present · stock · foot · capital · key · content · fan

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. capital — money
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. present — there
  5. present — a gift
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. key — in music
  13. key — the most important part
  14. stock — goods
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. capital — a city
  17. kick — in football
  18. key — for a lock
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. foot — a measure
  23. content — happy
  24. present — the time now

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