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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. can — a tin
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. net — after costs
  5. can — a tin
  6. march — the month
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — to eat
  9. can — to be able to
  10. firm — decided
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. stock — goods
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. firm — steady
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. net — in sport
  17. firm — a company
  18. march — music
  19. lie — to recline
  20. march — the month
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stock — shares
  23. net — for catching
  24. perch — the fish

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