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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pop — to visit
  3. stock — goods
  4. roll — a cake
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bank — for money
  8. stock — shares
  9. bank — for money
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pop — soda
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. rest — a break
  15. pop — music
  16. bank — of a river
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. squash — to crush
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — in music
  22. squash — the sport
  23. rest — what's left
  24. scale — size or range

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