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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 116 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. cue — a hint
  3. face — part of the head
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stock — shares
  6. face — to confront
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. cue — a signal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. wake — a trail
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. stock — goods
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. fine — all right
  23. fork — in a road
  24. cue — for pool

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