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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: wake · cap · rest · rock · stock · rush · face · march

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stock — goods
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. face — part of the head
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. face — to point toward
  10. march — music
  11. cap — a hat
  12. stock — shares
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rush — hurry
  16. march — the month
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. march — the month
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — of ice
  22. rest — a break
  23. face — to confront
  24. rock — music

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