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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. club — for golf
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. club — for dancing
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lie — to recline
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stock — goods
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stock — shares
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. rest — a break
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hand — help
  23. club — a group
  24. key — the most important part

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