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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. pit — a hole
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. stock — goods
  7. ground — crushed
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pass — a permit
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pit — in a race
  15. game — a match
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. game — wild animals
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. ground — the earth
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lie — to recline
  24. ground — a position

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