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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. roll — a cake
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bore — to tire
  6. rock — music
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rule — a law
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. rule — government
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bore — to drill
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. stock — shares
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. stock — goods
  23. roll — a list
  24. rock — to move gently

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