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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stock — goods
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. land — a country
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. net — after costs
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. net — in sport
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. net — for catching
  17. fine — all right
  18. lean — thin
  19. branch — a division
  20. land — ground
  21. fine — high quality
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. land — to come down

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