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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · lie · firm · rule · stock · tear

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. tear — to rip
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. stock — shares
  5. firm — a company
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. tear — from crying
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — steady
  10. tear — from crying
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — a law
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rule — government
  16. stock — goods
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. lie — an untruth

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