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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. firm — decided
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pop — soda
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. content — happy
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. pop — music
  13. firm — a company
  14. stock — shares
  15. content — the amount
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. lie — to recline
  19. stock — goods
  20. firm — steady
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. pop — to visit
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — a stone

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