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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.

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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 · hide · pit · track · firm · shower · degree · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. firm — a company
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. degree — an amount
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. degree — from a university
  7. track — a song
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. shower — rain
  10. track — a path
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. track — to keep track
  13. shower — to wash
  14. suit — clothes
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — shares
  17. degree — temperature
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — in a race
  21. firm — steady
  22. suit — in cards
  23. firm — decided
  24. stock — goods

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