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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. stock — shares
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. stock — goods
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rest — what's left
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bat — the animal
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. charge — a price
  24. patient — a sick person

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