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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: hide · stock · firm · mug · date · fine · capital · mate

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — steady
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — shares
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. firm — decided
  7. capital — a city
  8. fine — all right
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mate — to breed
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. mate — a partner
  16. fine — high quality
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mug — a cup
  20. date — the fruit
  21. mug — a face
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. capital — money

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