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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. last — finally
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. can — a tin
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stock — shares
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. can — to be able to
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. dip — to sink
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. can — a tin
  22. last — to go on
  23. last — final
  24. stock — goods

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