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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: content · squash · file · stock · bank · drill · dip · suit

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. dip — to sink
  4. stock — goods
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — army training
  7. file — a document
  8. stock — shares
  9. content — happy
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. suit — clothes
  12. drill — a practice
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bank — of a river
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. suit — in cards
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bank — for money
  19. suit — to fit
  20. file — a tool
  21. squash — the sport
  22. squash — to crush
  23. content — the amount
  24. bank — for money

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