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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 120 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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. face — part of the head
  4. band — a ring
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — goods
  7. capital — a city
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — a contest
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — money
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. face — to confront
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. band — a music group
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. lie — to recline
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. race — humankind
  22. stock — shares
  23. face — to point toward
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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