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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: wave · stock · can · deal · toast · lie · pop · net

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pop — soda
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. pop — to visit
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. net — after costs
  9. stock — goods
  10. deal — to handle
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. net — in sport
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pop — music
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. can — a tin
  17. stock — shares
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. net — for catching
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. can — a tin
  24. lie — to recline

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