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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 had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to confront
  3. roll — a cake
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. stock — goods
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. foot — a measure
  9. chip — to eat
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. chip — for betting
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bass — low music
  15. suit — clothes
  16. roll — a list
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bass — the fish
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stock — shares
  24. roll — on a roll

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