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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: content · fine · stock · chip · suit · game · cap · prune

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. fine — all right
  3. cap — a hat
  4. fine — high quality
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stock — shares
  8. content — the amount
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. cap — a lid
  11. suit — in cards
  12. game — a match
  13. chip — for betting
  14. content — happy
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. cap — of ice
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. game — wild animals
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. suit — to fit
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. suit — clothes
  24. chip — to eat

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