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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. degree — from a university
  4. degree — temperature
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. deal — to handle
  7. lean — to bend
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lean — thin
  11. mark — a grade
  12. degree — an amount
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. stock — goods
  19. mark — a trace
  20. stock — shares
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. rest — what's left

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