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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 116 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rest — a break
  4. court — of a king
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. court — for sport
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fine — all right
  10. stock — shares
  11. key — for a lock
  12. firm — steady
  13. mark — a trace
  14. firm — decided
  15. key — the most important part
  16. court — of law
  17. key — in music
  18. mark — a grade
  19. firm — a company
  20. fine — high quality
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stock — goods
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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