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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chest — a box
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — help
  7. stock — goods
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. face — to point toward
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. board — a committee
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. board — to get on
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stock — shares
  19. hand — in cards
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. chest — of your body
  22. face — to confront
  23. can — a tin
  24. rush — hurry

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