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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: bore · calf · content · file · pass · tear · stock · board

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — shares
  3. bore — to tire
  4. stock — goods
  5. file — a tool
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — to rip
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a document
  12. pass — a permit
  13. content — the amount
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. tear — from crying
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. board — a committee
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. content — happy
  21. bore — to drill
  22. board — to get on
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — to spend time

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