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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
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: hide · present · staff · sharp · bear · pound · stock · content

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. present — there
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — shares
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. sharp — clever
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. content — the amount
  11. staff — employees
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. bear — the animal
  14. staff — employees
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bear — the animal
  17. present — a gift
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. present — the time now
  22. content — happy
  23. staff — a stick
  24. pound — a weight

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