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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: cabinet · hide · hand · stock · bore · coach · rush · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rush — hurry
  3. stock — goods
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. hand — help
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bore — to drill
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bear — the animal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stock — shares
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. coach — a trainer

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