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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 · saw · object · mark · stock · pitch · bear · toast

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bear — the animal
  3. object — to protest
  4. bear — the animal
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mark — a trace
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. object — a thing
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. toast — bread
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. saw — the tool
  23. object — an aim
  24. mark — a grade

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