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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: deal · bat · lie · stock · leaves · fine · wave · cap

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bat — the animal
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. stock — shares
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. fine — high quality
  15. stock — goods
  16. cap — of ice
  17. deal — to handle
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. lie — to recline
  21. fine — all right
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. leaves — to go away

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