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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 · fine · current · fall · bear · mark · stock · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. fine — all right
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mark — a grade
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stock — goods
  8. can — to be able to
  9. current — of water
  10. stock — shares
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fall — the season
  13. bear — the animal
  14. can — a tin
  15. current — electric
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fall — to drop
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. current — happening now
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stock — a soup base

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