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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stock — goods
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. root — of a plant
  6. stock — shares
  7. root — of a word
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fall — to drop
  13. root — the cause
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. fall — the season
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. fall — to drop
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. hide — to keep secret

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