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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stock — goods
  3. drill — army training
  4. scale — size or range
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rock — a stone
  7. drill — a practice
  8. field — farmland
  9. scale — in music
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. rock — music
  13. bulb — for light
  14. drill — the tool
  15. field — for sport
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. field — a subject
  19. stock — shares
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stock — a soup base

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