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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
468
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: pit · stock · hand · bat · ruler · lash · foot · lie

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. hand — help
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. lie — to recline
  11. pit — in a race
  12. stock — shares
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. hand — in cards
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bat — the animal
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. foot — a measure
  21. stock — goods
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. lash — to lash out

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