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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stock — shares
  5. ground — a position
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. swing — music
  10. scale — in music
  11. ground — the earth
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pit — a hole
  14. swing — in golf
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. pit — in a race
  17. can — a tin
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. swing — to play on
  20. dip — to sink
  21. can — a tin
  22. stock — goods
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. ground — crushed

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