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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. object — an aim
  3. craft — a skill
  4. lie — to recline
  5. spell — magic
  6. mate — a partner
  7. object — to protest
  8. dip — to sink
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. mate — a friend
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — a short time
  16. object — a thing
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — boats
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. mate — to breed
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stock — goods
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lie — an untruth

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