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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. chest — a box
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — of your body
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. staff — employees
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. staff — a stick
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. staff — employees
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. last — final
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. stand — to bear
  20. rush — hurry
  21. last — to go on
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — goods

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