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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. rest — what's left
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ball — a dance
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. ball — a great time
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. board — a committee
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rash — a series
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. dip — to sink
  18. board — to get on
  19. rash — hasty
  20. stock — goods
  21. rest — a break
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lie — to recline

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