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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a partner
  6. stock — shares
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stock — goods
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bound — obliged
  15. pound — a weight
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. mate — a friend
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bound — certain

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