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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: object · lash · degree · stock · bowl · lie · march · deal

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stock — goods
  4. march — the month
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. object — an aim
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. object — to protest
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. degree — temperature
  15. object — a thing
  16. degree — an amount
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. march — the month
  19. degree — from a university
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. march — music
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. deal — to handle
  24. lie — to recline

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