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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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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stock — shares
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. key — for a lock
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. cell — a phone
  10. key — in music
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. ground — crushed
  13. stock — goods
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. cell — in biology
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wax — to grow
  18. ground — a position
  19. key — the most important part
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. sharp — clever
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. ground — the earth

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