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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: stock · press · shower · scale · hide · suit · chair · rush

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. chair — a leader
  3. shower — rain
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. suit — clothes
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. suit — to fit
  8. scale — size or range
  9. suit — in cards
  10. scale — in music
  11. rush — hurry
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. shower — to wash
  16. press — a publisher
  17. stock — goods
  18. press — newspapers
  19. press — to push
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — shares
  24. scale — for weighing

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