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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. net — after costs
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. net — for catching
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mate — to breed
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. lie — to recline
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. plane — a tool
  16. hand — help
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stock — goods
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. mate — a partner
  21. net — in sport
  22. hand — in cards
  23. mate — a friend
  24. stock — shares

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