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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. hand — in cards
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stand — to bear
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. board — to get on
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stock — goods
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. board — a committee
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. hand — help
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — to push
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. press — a publisher
  24. nail — on a finger

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