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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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Word bank
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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. content — happy
  5. stock — goods
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. can — a tin
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. lie — to recline
  13. can — a tin
  14. kick — in football
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. stock — shares
  19. spell — a short time
  20. content — the amount
  21. spell — magic
  22. can — to be able to
  23. spell — letters
  24. hide — to keep secret

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