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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: lie · safe · stock · lean · kid · tube · track · season

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. track — to keep track
  3. lean — thin
  4. stock — shares
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. season — in sport
  11. kid — to tease
  12. season — of the year
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. stock — goods
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. track — a path
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. lie — to recline
  20. tube — the underground
  21. track — a song
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. kid — child

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