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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 116 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: hide · face · stock · last · deal · file · straw · trunk

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. face — to point toward
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. file — a document
  5. file — a line of people
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. face — part of the head
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. last — to go on
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. deal — to handle
  14. last — final
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. face — to confront
  18. stock — shares
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. last — finally
  21. file — a tool
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. stock — a soup base

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