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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. stock — shares
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. cue — a signal
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. file — a line of people
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bat — the animal
  14. lie — to recline
  15. stock — goods
  16. row — a line
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. prune — to trim
  20. file — a tool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. file — a document
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stock — a soup base

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