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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: kid · firm · stand · bulb · stock · bank · hide · arm

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stock — shares
  8. bank — of a river
  9. firm — steady
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bank — for money
  14. kid — to tease
  15. stock — goods
  16. kid — child
  17. firm — decided
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. firm — a company
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bank — for money
  24. stand — to bear

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