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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: lie · stock · spell · mate · toast · stick · pit · hand

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stock — shares
  3. pit — in a race
  4. stock — goods
  5. mate — a friend
  6. hand — help
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. lie — to recline
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pit — a hole
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. spell — letters
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. spell — magic
  18. hand — in cards
  19. mate — to breed
  20. spell — a short time
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. mate — a partner
  23. toast — bread
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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