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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: charge · stock · hide · arm · snap · can · patient · straw

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. stock — shares
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. can — to be able to
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — in control
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. can — a tin
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. can — a tin
  23. snap — to click
  24. charge — a price

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