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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. scale — in music
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stock — goods
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. branch — a division
  8. stand — to bear
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stock — shares
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. spell — letters
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. lie — to recline
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. spell — a short time
  19. scale — size or range
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. spell — magic
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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