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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 116 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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. tear — to rip
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stock — goods
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. tear — from crying
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bore — to tire
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. stock — shares
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bowl — a football final

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