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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wind — moving air
  3. dip — to sink
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mark — a trace
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stock — shares
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. lie — to recline
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mark — a grade
  20. stock — goods
  21. wind — moving air
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. temple — side of the head

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