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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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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: stock · temple · object · fork · straw · hide · kid · pit

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. object — to protest
  12. stock — goods
  13. pit — a hole
  14. kid — child
  15. stock — shares
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. object — a thing
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. kid — to tease
  20. pit — in a race
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. object — an aim

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