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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. stock — goods
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ground — crushed
  5. scale — in music
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mark — a trace
  10. ground — a position
  11. stock — shares
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. date — the fruit
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ground — the earth
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. lie — to recline
  23. suit — to fit
  24. scale — size or range

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