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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. face — to confront
  3. charge — a price
  4. face — to point toward
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. charge — electricity
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. wind — moving air
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stock — goods
  12. bank — of a river
  13. wind — moving air
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. face — part of the head
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. stock — shares
  18. charge — in control
  19. bank — for money
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bank — for money
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. wind — to turn a key

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