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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — shares
  5. object — to protest
  6. object — an aim
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. lie — to recline
  22. object — a thing
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. branch — a division

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