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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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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hand — help
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. staff — employees
  7. stock — shares
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. hand — in cards
  10. saw — the tool
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. suit — to fit
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. staff — employees
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. staff — a stick
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. stock — goods
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. temple — side of the head

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