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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. face — part of the head
  4. craft — boats
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. face — to confront
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. face — to point toward
  10. mate — to breed
  11. stock — shares
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. band — a ring
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mate — a partner
  23. band — a music group
  24. craft — a skill

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