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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 120 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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — shares
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — letters
  6. lie — to recline
  7. cap — a lid
  8. season — in sport
  9. mark — a grade
  10. cap — a hat
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. season — of the year
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. cap — of ice
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. spell — magic
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mark — a trace

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