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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. face — to confront
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — to get on
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. face — to point toward
  10. fall — to drop
  11. board — a committee
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stock — shares
  14. roll — a list
  15. net — for catching
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. fall — the season
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. face — part of the head
  21. fall — to drop
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. roll — a cake

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