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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: lie · saw · shower · prune · stock · chip · pass · wound

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. stock — goods
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pass — a permit
  8. chip — to eat
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. wound — an injury
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. shower — rain
  15. shower — to wash
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. stock — shares
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. chip — for betting
  20. saw — the tool
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wound — an injury
  23. lie — to recline
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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