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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: squash · face · saw · stick · hide · stock

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  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. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — shares
  3. face — part of the head
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. face — to point toward
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. squash — the sport
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. squash — to crush
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. saw — the tool
  17. face — to confront
  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