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

Word bank: prune · lie · chip · hide · mug · stock

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. prune — to trim
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stock — goods
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. mug — a cup
  11. prune — to trim
  12. chip — for betting
  13. mug — a face
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. mug — to rob
  16. lie — to recline
  17. stock — shares
  18. chip — to eat

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