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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: mate · patient · foot · face · can · stock · bay · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — goods
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. face — to point toward
  8. can — a tin
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. can — a tin
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mate — a partner
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mate — a friend
  21. face — part of the head
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. sharp — clever
  24. face — to confront

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