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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 116 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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stock — shares
  3. land — to come down
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to tire
  7. land — ground
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. land — a country
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — a practice
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. stock — goods
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lean — thin
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bore — to drill
  23. drill — the tool
  24. rest — a break

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