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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.

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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: deal · bear · arm · mark · staff · stand · kid · stock

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. stock — goods
  3. mark — a trace
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. staff — employees
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bear — the animal
  13. staff — a stick
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. staff — employees
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. kid — child
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stand — to bear
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. deal — an agreement

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