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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: degree · stock · hide · saw · can · sharp · wind · rock

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. degree — from a university
  3. rock — music
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rock — a stone
  6. saw — the tool
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. stock — goods
  9. can — a tin
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. stock — shares
  16. wind — moving air
  17. degree — an amount
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. wind — moving air
  20. saw — the tool
  21. degree — temperature
  22. can — a tin
  23. sharp — clever
  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