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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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Word bank
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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: safe · rest · bank · face · stock · pass

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. face — to confront
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — a permit
  5. stock — shares
  6. rest — what's left
  7. face — part of the head
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bank — for money
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. rest — a break
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stock — goods
  17. face — to point toward
  18. safe — out of danger

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