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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: prune · pass · stock · hide · fall · hand · bear · season

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. stock — goods
  4. fall — the season
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. season — of the year
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. season — in sport
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. stock — shares
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. prune — to trim
  21. hand — help
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  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