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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. snap — to click
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. capital — money
  6. object — an aim
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. capital — a city
  12. object — to protest
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. object — a thing
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. cell — in biology
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stock — goods
  21. cell — a phone
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. lie — to recline
  24. stock — shares

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