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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 116 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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — part of the head
  4. craft — boats
  5. face — to point toward
  6. fine — high quality
  7. band — a music group
  8. rock — a stone
  9. fine — all right
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. stock — shares
  14. rest — a break
  15. firm — a company
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rock — music
  18. rest — what's left
  19. craft — a skill
  20. firm — steady
  21. band — a ring
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. firm — decided
  24. rock — to move gently

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