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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: dip · bowl · lie · tear · bass · stock · bay · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bass — low music
  9. staff — a stick
  10. tear — from crying
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. stock — shares
  15. dip — to sink
  16. tear — to rip
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. stock — goods
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. staff — employees
  24. bay — a horse colour

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