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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 116 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. stock — goods
  3. suit — to fit
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. hand — help
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. suit — in cards
  11. snap — to click
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. fine — high quality
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. hand — in cards
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. stock — shares
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — a penalty

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