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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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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 · pit · bat · rush · cabinet · stock · trunk · perch

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. pit — in a race
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stock — shares
  16. bat — the animal
  17. rush — hurry
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rush — a thrill

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