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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. face — to point toward
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. object — a thing
  6. face — to confront
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. root — of a plant
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a word
  14. face — part of the head
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. object — to protest
  17. date — the fruit
  18. stock — shares
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. branch — a division
  22. object — an aim
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. patient — a sick person

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