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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 120 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: stock · shower · rock · mark · wake · lie · chip · bound

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bound — obliged
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — rain
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bound — tied together
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rock — a stone
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. mark — a trace
  14. stock — shares
  15. rock — music
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bound — certain
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stock — goods
  22. chip — to eat
  23. shower — to wash
  24. lie — to recline

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