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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  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. stock — a soup base
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. stock — shares
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. staff — employees
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. staff — employees
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. staff — a stick
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rock — music
  16. rash — a series
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. rash — hasty
  19. stock — goods
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. branch — a division
  23. mine — for digging
  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