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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. fine — all right
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. spell — letters
  5. lie — to recline
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. spell — a short time
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. spell — magic
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stock — goods
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. fine — high quality
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. lie — an untruth

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