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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — in music
  4. drill — a practice
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stock — shares
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. drill — army training
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stock — goods
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. drill — the tool
  17. key — for a lock
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — to bear

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