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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. press — a publisher
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hand — in cards
  8. board — a committee
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. board — to get on
  14. hand — help
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. press — to push
  17. stock — shares
  18. press — newspapers
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. stock — goods

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