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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: object · stock · mate · wind · bulb · lie · saw · bay

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wind — moving air
  3. saw — the tool
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mate — a partner
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. lie — to recline
  10. object — a thing
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. stock — shares
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bulb — for light
  18. object — to protest
  19. saw — the tool
  20. wind — moving air
  21. object — an aim
  22. stock — goods
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. mate — a friend

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