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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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. shower — rain
  4. stock — goods
  5. hand — help
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. firm — decided
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stock — shares
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. race — humankind
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. firm — steady
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. shower — to wash
  21. stem — to come from
  22. race — the arms race
  23. firm — a company
  24. race — a contest

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