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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. current — happening now
  3. lean — to bend
  4. current — of water
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. cap — a hat
  11. stock — shares
  12. pitch — completely
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. object — to protest
  17. cap — a lid
  18. cap — of ice
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. current — electric
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lean — thin
  23. stock — goods
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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