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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: fan · stock · bay · bass · cue · arm · hide · calf

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — shares
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — the fish
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cue — for pool
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bass — low music
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bay — a horse colour

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