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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. deal — to handle
  9. content — happy
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. stock — shares
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. content — the amount
  19. stock — goods
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. mine — for digging

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