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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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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: firm · stock · deal · last · lie · bowl · kick · shower

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. firm — steady
  4. stock — goods
  5. shower — rain
  6. kick — in football
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. firm — a company
  11. shower — to wash
  12. last — final
  13. last — to go on
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. stock — shares
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. last — finally
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. firm — decided

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