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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. season — of the year
  3. stock — goods
  4. drill — the tool
  5. drill — a practice
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. lean — to bend
  10. season — in sport
  11. pop — music
  12. lean — thin
  13. pop — to visit
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. staff — employees
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. stock — shares
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. lie — to recline
  22. pop — soda
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. staff — employees

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