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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stock — shares
  3. hand — in cards
  4. stock — goods
  5. hand — help
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. staff — employees
  8. ground — the earth
  9. mug — a cup
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. staff — employees
  13. date — the fruit
  14. rock — music
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — to rob
  18. staff — a stick
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rock — a stone
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. ground — crushed
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. ground — a position

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