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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · stock · staff · pop · pound · tear · temple · shower

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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. tear — from crying
  4. pop — music
  5. pound — a weight
  6. tear — from crying
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. shower — to wash
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pop — to visit
  11. staff — a stick
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. staff — employees
  14. stock — shares
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. tear — to rip
  17. stock — goods
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. shower — rain
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. staff — employees
  23. pop — soda
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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