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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.

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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. track — a song
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. lie — to recline
  17. stock — goods
  18. stand — to bear
  19. rash — a series
  20. track — a path
  21. track — to keep track
  22. rash — hasty
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. leaves — to go away

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