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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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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 · lie · stock · temple · stand · deal · swing · lean

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — music
  5. lean — thin
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. lean — to bend
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stock — goods
  12. swing — to play on
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a hole
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stock — shares
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. deal — to handle

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