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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: cue · stock · rest · lie · dip · date · file · hide

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stock — goods
  4. cue — a signal
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. lie — to recline
  8. stock — shares
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rest — a break
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. file — a document
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cue — for pool
  17. file — a line of people
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. dip — to sink
  20. file — a tool
  21. date — the fruit
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. cue — a hint
  24. lie — an untruth

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