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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 124 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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. wound — an injury
  4. spring — of water
  5. spring — a coil
  6. key — for a lock
  7. track — to keep track
  8. key — in music
  9. stock — goods
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. wound — an injury
  12. lie — to recline
  13. dip — to sink
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. stock — shares
  20. key — the most important part
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. spring — the season
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. dip — to dunk

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