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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ground · scale · stock · bowl · face · can

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. scale — in music
  3. face — part of the head
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. ground — crushed
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — to point toward
  8. can — a tin
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. can — a tin
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. stock — shares
  16. ground — a position
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. stock — goods

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