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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: track · pitcher · stock · fall · cabinet · fine · perch · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. track — a path
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stock — goods
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fine — all right
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fall — the season
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. track — a song
  21. fine — high quality
  22. track — to keep track
  23. fall — to drop
  24. perch — the fish

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