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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. hand — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. charge — in control
  8. toast — bread
  9. charge — a price
  10. suit — in cards
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — music
  13. face — to confront
  14. rash — hasty
  15. stock — shares
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to point toward
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. rash — a series
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. hand — help
  24. rash — on the skin

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