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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. stock — shares
  3. mark — a grade
  4. face — to confront
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — to drop
  8. spell — magic
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fork — in a road
  12. face — part of the head
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. fall — the season
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. spell — a short time
  18. stock — goods
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. face — to point toward
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. spell — letters

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