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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. face — to point toward
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. field — a subject
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. stock — goods
  9. chip — for betting
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. field — farmland
  12. field — for sport
  13. stock — shares
  14. face — to confront
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. chip — to eat
  18. ground — crushed
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. ground — a position
  21. suit — in cards
  22. face — part of the head
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ground — the earth

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