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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. stock — goods
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. stock — shares
  5. rush — hurry
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. firm — decided
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. firm — steady
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. firm — a company
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. deal — to handle
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. rush — to hurry

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