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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bound — tied together
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. ball — a great time
  5. lie — to recline
  6. saw — the tool
  7. ball — a dance
  8. mark — a trace
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — the underground
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — certain
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. mark — a grade
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stock — shares
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ruler — for measuring

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