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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 116 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: current · hide · cabinet · stock · object · deal · club · wind

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. object — to protest
  4. current — of water
  5. stock — shares
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. club — for dancing
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. deal — to handle
  12. current — happening now
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. stock — goods
  16. club — for golf
  17. object — a thing
  18. current — electric
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. club — a group
  21. object — an aim
  22. wind — moving air
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wind — to turn a key

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