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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 120 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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. scale — size or range
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. stock — goods
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. lie — to recline
  9. stock — shares
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pit — a hole
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. scale — in music
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pit — in a race
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. track — a song
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. track — to keep track
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. fan — to cool the air

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