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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. kick — in football
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. tube — the underground
  5. face — part of the head
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. tube — a container
  11. face — to point toward
  12. board — a committee
  13. stock — shares
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. root — of a word
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. root — of a plant
  20. face — to confront
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. root — the cause
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. fan — a supporter

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