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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. current — electric
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. last — to go on
  7. current — of water
  8. wake — a trail
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. last — finally
  12. current — happening now
  13. last — final
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stock — goods
  18. bore — to tire
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. bore — to drill
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. stock — shares

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