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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rock — music
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — a stone
  10. firm — a company
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. firm — steady
  15. net — after costs
  16. stock — shares
  17. net — in sport
  18. firm — decided
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stock — goods
  23. net — for catching
  24. lie — to recline

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