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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. bank — for money
  3. suit — in cards
  4. object — an aim
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — to confront
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. suit — to fit
  9. kid — to tease
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bank — of a river
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. stock — goods
  17. lie — to recline
  18. stock — shares
  19. deal — to handle
  20. object — a thing
  21. bank — for money
  22. object — to protest
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. face — part of the head

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