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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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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: sharp · trunk · last · lie · stock · rock · nail · hide

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. last — finally
  7. rock — a stone
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. sharp — clever
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. last — final
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. rock — music
  15. lie — to recline
  16. stock — shares
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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