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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bore · saw · bay · season · stock · hide · wave · club

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for golf
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. season — of the year
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bore — to drill
  16. stock — shares
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. season — in sport
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bore — to tire

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