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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. stock — goods
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ground — crushed
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bank — for money
  11. ground — the earth
  12. can — to be able to
  13. kid — to tease
  14. stock — shares
  15. ground — a position
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. kid — child
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bank — for money
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — a tin

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