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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bay · lie · pop · staff · ruler · lean · stock · present

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. stock — goods
  5. lean — thin
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. pop — soda
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. staff — a stick
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. present — a gift
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. present — the time now
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pop — music
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pop — to visit
  24. present — there

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