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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. craft — a skill
  3. firm — steady
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. suit — to fit
  7. stock — shares
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. suit — in cards
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stock — goods
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. firm — a company
  16. chair — a leader
  17. spell — magic
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. craft — boats
  20. firm — decided
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. spell — letters
  24. pitcher — a jug

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