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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bound — certain
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. stock — shares
  8. net — for catching
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bound — tied together
  11. net — after costs
  12. stock — goods
  13. pit — a hole
  14. bound — obliged
  15. wax — to grow
  16. pit — in a race
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lie — to recline
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. rest — a break
  23. net — in sport
  24. foot — a measure

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