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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: date · root · charge · stock · face · kick · rest · suit

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. rest — a break
  3. kick — in football
  4. face — part of the head
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. root — of a word
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — the fruit
  9. root — the cause
  10. charge — electricity
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. stock — goods
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. root — of a plant
  16. face — to confront
  17. face — to point toward
  18. suit — clothes
  19. charge — in control
  20. rest — what's left
  21. suit — to fit
  22. charge — a price
  23. rest — what's left
  24. suit — in cards

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