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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: lie · stock · staff · net · foot · ground · rash · can

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. foot — a measure
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — shares
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — for catching
  8. ground — crushed
  9. staff — employees
  10. ground — a position
  11. can — to be able to
  12. net — after costs
  13. staff — a stick
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rash — hasty
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. staff — employees
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. can — a tin
  21. rash — a series
  22. lie — to recline
  23. can — a tin
  24. ground — the earth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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