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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bound — certain
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fine — high quality
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bound — obliged
  13. lie — to recline
  14. stock — shares
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — completely
  18. fine — all right
  19. snap — to click
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bark — to shout

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