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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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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. kid — child
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. squash — to crush
  7. board — to get on
  8. kid — to tease
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. can — to be able to
  11. squash — the sport
  12. board — a committee
  13. can — a tin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. firm — a company
  17. stock — shares
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pass — a permit
  21. can — a tin
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

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