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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: craft · bass · stock · suit · foot · face · lean · pop

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. suit — to fit
  6. craft — boats
  7. stock — goods
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — a skill
  10. face — part of the head
  11. face — to confront
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. stock — shares
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. lean — to bend
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. suit — in cards
  19. foot — a measure
  20. lean — thin
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — soda

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