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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: ground · stock · bear · object · key · hide · bay · court

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. court — of a king
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. ground — a position
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bear — the animal
  8. court — of law
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. object — an aim
  11. ground — crushed
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. object — a thing
  15. stock — shares
  16. bear — the animal
  17. stock — goods
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — in music
  21. object — to protest
  22. court — for sport
  23. ground — the earth
  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