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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. fine — high quality
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. root — the cause
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. stock — goods
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. root — of a plant
  13. fine — all right
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wound — an injury
  16. root — of a word
  17. rest — a break
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. stock — shares
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. rest — what's left
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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