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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
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: pitcher · lean · plane · lie · mouse · rock · cell · stock

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — a phone
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rock — music
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. stock — shares
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lean — thin
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stock — goods
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. plane — a tool
  19. lie — to recline
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. mouse — the animal

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