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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 116 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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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: racket · stock · bear · pit · staff · bowl · snap · lie

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  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. stock — a soup base
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pit — a hole
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stock — goods
  15. staff — employees
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. staff — employees
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. snap — to click
  20. pit — in a race
  21. stock — shares
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bowl — to roll
  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