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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stock — goods
  7. deal — to handle
  8. chip — for betting
  9. drill — the tool
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. drill — army training
  12. craft — boats
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. craft — a skill
  15. wind — moving air
  16. object — an aim
  17. chip — to eat
  18. object — a thing
  19. wind — moving air
  20. object — to protest
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. stock — shares
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. drill — a practice

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