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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
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: stick · stand · bear · wind · lean · stock · can · saw

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. saw — the tool
  3. stock — goods
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — thin
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. wind — moving air
  12. can — to be able to
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. bear — the animal
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stock — shares
  20. can — a tin
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. can — a tin
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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