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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. net — in sport
  4. stock — goods
  5. net — for catching
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. net — after costs
  9. stock — shares
  10. hand — in cards
  11. hand — help
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. snap — to click
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bore — to tire
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bore — to drill
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bore — gave birth

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