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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.

Make a worksheet

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: file · bear · hide · stock · drill · key · dip · row

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. stock — goods
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. drill — a practice
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. stock — shares
  10. file — a document
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bear — the animal
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bear — the animal
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. dip — to sink
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. file — a tool
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. row — a line
  24. key — for a lock

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