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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stock — goods
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — to rip
  5. fall — the season
  6. lie — to recline
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. cue — a signal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. tear — from crying
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — to drop
  24. foot — a measure

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