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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. chest — of your body
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. stock — goods
  5. deal — to handle
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. band — a music group
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. club — for golf
  10. chest — a box
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. stock — shares
  14. row — to paddle
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. band — a ring
  21. club — for dancing
  22. row — a line
  23. club — a group
  24. chest — of your body

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