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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. face — to point toward
  6. board — a committee
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. chip — to eat
  12. tube — a container
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. tube — the underground
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. board — to get on
  17. stock — shares
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. chip — for betting
  20. stock — goods
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. face — part of the head

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