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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pound — a weight
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mate — to breed
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. stock — shares
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. file — a tool
  12. present — a gift
  13. file — a document
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. stock — goods
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bulb — for light
  19. present — the time now
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bark — to shout
  24. present — there

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