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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
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: tube · mark · wake · calf · stock · clip · hide · stick

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. mark — a grade
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. mark — a trace
  5. stock — shares
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. clip — to cut
  8. clip — for paper
  9. tube — a container
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. tube — the underground
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. clip — a video

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