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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. deal — to handle
  7. fall — the season
  8. stock — goods
  9. race — a contest
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lean — to bend
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. fall — to drop
  15. race — the arms race
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. fall — to drop
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. lean — thin
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. race — humankind
  22. stock — shares
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pitcher — a jug

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