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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: stock · rule · mouse · sharp · mate · bulb · coach · face

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rule — a law
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. face — part of the head
  9. mate — a friend
  10. face — to point toward
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. face — to confront
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. mate — to breed
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. sharp — clever
  24. coach — a trainer

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