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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. lie — to recline
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — a signal
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. mine — for digging
  10. stock — goods
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. ground — crushed
  15. firm — steady
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ground — a position
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. ground — the earth
  21. firm — decided
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. cue — for pool
  24. firm — a company

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