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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. fall — the season
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. ground — the earth
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. fall — to drop
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ground — crushed
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. stock — goods
  23. ground — a position
  24. stand — to bear

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