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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.

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: cabinet · track · bulb · stock · hide · pitch · straw · chair

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — goods
  6. track — to keep track
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bulb — for light
  11. track — a song
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. track — a path
  14. pitch — completely
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bulb — for light
  23. chair — a leader
  24. hide — to keep secret

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