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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. saw — the tool
  3. firm — steady
  4. swing — music
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — in golf
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. stock — shares
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. saw — the tool
  15. firm — a company
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. firm — decided
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. fine — all right
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bark — to shout
  23. stock — goods
  24. lie — an untruth

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