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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. spell — letters
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. spell — a short time
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — a face
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — goods
  9. wound — an injury
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — the season
  12. wound — an injury
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. spring — of water
  19. toast — bread
  20. lie — to recline
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. stock — shares
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. spell — magic

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