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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.

Make a worksheet

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: sharp · stock · scale · row · lie · game · object · staff

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. sharp — clever
  3. object — a thing
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. scale — size or range
  6. row — to paddle
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. stock — shares
  9. staff — a stick
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. lie — to recline
  12. scale — in music
  13. object — to protest
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. object — an aim
  16. game — wild animals
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stock — goods
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. row — a line
  21. game — a match
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. stock — a soup base

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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