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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a cup
  5. hand — in cards
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — a thing
  8. bear — the animal
  9. hand — help
  10. object — to protest
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. mug — a face
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — shares
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. kid — child
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. kid — to tease
  24. bear — to put up with

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