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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. face — to point toward
  3. stock — shares
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. current — happening now
  6. face — part of the head
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bark — to shout
  9. current — of water
  10. track — a path
  11. track — a song
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cue — a signal
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. current — electric
  21. face — to confront
  22. cue — for pool
  23. stock — goods
  24. cue — a hint

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