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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: stock · fall · lie · wave · pit · fine · mark · sharp

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. pit — a hole
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. fall — to drop
  5. sharp — clever
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. fall — to drop
  8. lie — to recline
  9. mark — a trace
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. stock — goods
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. fall — the season
  16. pit — in a race
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. stock — shares
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mark — a grade
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. fine — all right

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