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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 120 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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bark — to shout
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. firm — decided
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. mark — a grade
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. firm — steady
  14. cue — a hint
  15. craft — a skill
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. firm — a company
  20. fall — to drop
  21. craft — boats
  22. fall — to drop
  23. stock — goods
  24. fall — the season

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