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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 116 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  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 — a soup base
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. present — there
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — to bear
  9. sharp — clever
  10. stock — shares
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. cold — an illness
  13. lie — to recline
  14. cold — not warm
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. present — a gift
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stock — goods
  19. rest — a break
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. deal — to handle
  22. present — the time now
  23. rest — what's left
  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