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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. band — a music group
  5. pit — a hole
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. object — an aim
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. rule — a law
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stock — shares
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. stand — to bear
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. object — to protest
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rule — government
  21. pit — in a race
  22. band — a ring
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. stock — goods

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