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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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468
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. staff — employees
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stock — shares
  5. pit — in a race
  6. spell — letters
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. squash — the sport
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. kick — in football
  12. lean — to bend
  13. stock — goods
  14. spell — a short time
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. spell — magic
  17. squash — to crush
  18. lie — to recline
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. lean — thin
  21. staff — a stick
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. staff — employees

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