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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: safe · lie · mark · spring · stock · row · bear · mouse

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. row — a line
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. spring — a coil
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bear — the animal
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. spring — the season
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a trace
  15. stock — goods
  16. spring — of water
  17. row — to paddle
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mark — a grade
  24. stock — shares

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