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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bore — to drill
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. firm — decided
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stock — shares
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. firm — steady
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. firm — a company
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. stock — goods
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bore — to tire
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stock — a soup base

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