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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stock — shares
  4. lean — to bend
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. craft — a skill
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. lie — to recline
  12. band — a music group
  13. band — a ring
  14. craft — boats
  15. scale — size or range
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. scale — in music
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. stock — goods
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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