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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  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 — to recline
  2. band — a ring
  3. rush — hurry
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. cap — a lid
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wound — an injury
  14. cap — a hat
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stock — shares
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. perch — the fish
  20. wound — an injury
  21. cap — of ice
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. band — a music group
  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