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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.

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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — music
  4. stock — goods
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. squash — the sport
  7. pop — to visit
  8. ball — a dance
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. ball — a great time
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. squash — to crush
  22. charge — in control
  23. face — to confront
  24. stock — shares

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