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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. stock — goods
  4. pit — in a race
  5. plane — a tool
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. capital — a city
  11. capital — money
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cell — a phone
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. stock — shares
  18. pit — a hole
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. lie — to recline
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cell — in biology

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