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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  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. net — for catching
  2. rash — a series
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. suit — to fit
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. rash — hasty
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. stock — goods
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — to come from
  19. suit — in cards
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — in sport
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stock — shares
  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