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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — goods
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. face — part of the head
  8. firm — decided
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. face — to point toward
  17. band — a music group
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. firm — a company
  21. fork — in a road
  22. band — a ring
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. firm — steady

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