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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: staff · mug · face · clip · bass · last · stock · hide

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mug — a face
  3. bass — low music
  4. staff — employees
  5. stock — goods
  6. staff — employees
  7. clip — a video
  8. bass — the fish
  9. clip — to cut
  10. clip — for paper
  11. last — final
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. face — to point toward
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — to rob
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. face — part of the head
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. last — to go on
  20. stock — shares
  21. last — finally
  22. face — to confront
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. staff — a stick

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