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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: pass · trunk · lie · nail · roll · field · lean · stock

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  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. field — a subject
  2. stock — shares
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. field — farmland
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pass — a permit
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. roll — a list
  14. stock — goods
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. field — for sport
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. roll — a cake
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  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