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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  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. calf — of the leg
  2. stock — goods
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. pit — in a race
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. spell — a short time
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. stock — shares
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. firm — a company
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. pit — a hole
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — magic
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — decided
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lie — to recline
  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