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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. ground — a position
  4. wind — moving air
  5. foot — a measure
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. chip — to eat
  9. ground — the earth
  10. chip — for betting
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. stock — goods
  18. bore — to drill
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. ground — crushed
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. wind — moving air
  23. stock — shares
  24. wind — to turn a key

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