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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. hand — in cards
  3. stock — goods
  4. race — a contest
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. can — a tin
  8. lie — to recline
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. court — of law
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. key — for a lock
  14. key — in music
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. can — a tin
  17. race — humankind
  18. stock — shares
  19. hand — help
  20. court — for sport
  21. race — the arms race
  22. can — to be able to
  23. court — of a king
  24. key — the most important part

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