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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — a partner
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. lie — to recline
  7. firm — a company
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. firm — steady
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — in control
  14. stock — shares
  15. firm — decided
  16. charge — electricity
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. capital — money
  19. stock — goods
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. capital — a city
  22. mate — to breed
  23. stock — a soup base
  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