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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 124 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a grade
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. lean — to bend
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — from crying
  11. rest — what's left
  12. toast — bread
  13. tear — to rip
  14. wake — a trail
  15. stock — shares
  16. rest — a break
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. stock — goods
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. fine — all right
  23. lean — thin
  24. fine — a penalty

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