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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.

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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: chest · tube · hide · kid · stock · rock · season · deal

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. tube — a container
  3. chest — of your body
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. stock — shares
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. chest — of your body
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. season — in sport
  16. rock — music
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rock — a stone
  19. season — of the year
  20. tube — the underground
  21. stock — goods
  22. kid — child
  23. kid — to tease
  24. season — to add flavour

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