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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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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: stock · ball · mug · saw · file · suit · hide · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. fine — all right
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mug — a cup
  8. stock — goods
  9. saw — the tool
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. file — a tool
  13. file — a document
  14. stock — shares
  15. suit — clothes
  16. ball — a dance
  17. mug — a face
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mug — to rob
  20. suit — to fit
  21. file — a line of people
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. ball — a great time
  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