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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: hide · deal · jam · stock · safe · land · temple · bat

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. land — a country
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. deal — to handle
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — shares
  7. bat — the animal
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. land — to come down
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. land — ground
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. temple — side of the head

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