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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to point toward
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. suit — in cards
  10. land — to come down
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stand — to bear
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. face — to confront
  16. mark — a trace
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stock — goods
  19. land — a country
  20. branch — a division
  21. stock — shares
  22. land — ground
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. mark — a grade

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