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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stock — shares
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bank — for money
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. fork — in a road
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stock — goods
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. lie — to recline
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. rush — hurry
  18. stem — to come from
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. stem — a stem cell

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