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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stock — shares
  4. root — of a word
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mark — a grade
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. root — the cause
  10. rock — music
  11. mark — a trace
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. rest — a break
  15. root — of a plant
  16. rock — a stone
  17. stand — to bear
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. stock — goods
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to point toward
  24. stand — for spectators

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