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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. mate — a friend
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stock — shares
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rock — a stone
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bark — to shout
  15. rock — music
  16. stand — to bear
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — goods
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. toast — bread

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