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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 · hide · season · bear · fork · mate · straw · arm

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. fork — in a road
  3. stock — shares
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. mate — a partner
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. season — of the year
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mate — to breed
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stock — goods
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. mate — a friend
  23. season — in sport
  24. hide — to keep secret

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