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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. stock — shares
  5. chip — for betting
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. lie — to recline
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. stock — goods
  11. wax — to grow
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. chip — to eat
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pound — a weight
  24. deal — to handle

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