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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.

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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.

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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: pass · stock · straw · leaves · hide · present · mate · arm

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. present — there
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. present — the time now
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. mate — a friend
  9. present — a gift
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stock — shares
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — to breed
  18. stock — goods
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to succeed

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