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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.

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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: temple · snap · stock · cabinet · stand · arm · nail · hide

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. stock — goods
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. stand — to bear
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stock — shares
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. snap — to click
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. arm — part of the body

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