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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 116 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: stock · sharp · scale · nail · saw · content · dip · suit

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. suit — clothes
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. scale — size or range
  5. stock — goods
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. scale — in music
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. suit — to fit
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. suit — in cards
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. content — the amount
  22. content — happy
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. dip — to sink

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