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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: land · lie · bay · stock · mouse · squash · roll · lean

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. stock — shares
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. squash — the sport
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. squash — to crush
  9. stock — goods
  10. land — ground
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. lie — to recline
  16. land — a country
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. roll — a cake
  19. land — to come down
  20. roll — a list
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. lean — thin
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lean — to bend

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