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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — shares
  4. current — happening now
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. snap — to click
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bear — the animal
  11. scale — size or range
  12. current — electric
  13. scale — in music
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. current — of water
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lie — to recline
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bear — to put up with

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