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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 116 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. stock — shares
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — to confront
  6. rule — government
  7. stock — goods
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lie — to recline
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fine — all right
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — a law
  22. face — part of the head
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fine — high quality

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