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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. stock — goods
  4. suit — clothes
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. kick — in football
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. suit — to fit
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. deal — to handle
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. degree — an amount
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. suit — in cards
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. degree — from a university
  23. degree — temperature
  24. stock — shares

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