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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: mug · perch · stock · content · chair · can · pop · date

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. pop — music
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. content — the amount
  5. can — a tin
  6. content — happy
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pop — to visit
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. stock — goods
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. can — to be able to
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. mug — a cup
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. perch — the fish
  19. pop — soda
  20. can — a tin
  21. chair — a leader
  22. mug — a face
  23. stock — shares
  24. chair — to sit on

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