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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. stock — shares
  4. staff — employees
  5. charge — a price
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stock — goods
  10. degree — from a university
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. staff — a stick
  13. degree — an amount
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. branch — a division
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. lie — to recline
  21. charge — in control
  22. staff — employees
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. degree — temperature

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