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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: march · lie · stock · foot · fall · mug · arm · lean

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. fall — to drop
  4. stock — goods
  5. march — the month
  6. mug — a face
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fall — to drop
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. march — the month
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. lean — thin
  14. mug — a cup
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fall — the season
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. mug — to rob
  19. march — music
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stock — shares
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lean — to bend
  24. foot — a measure

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