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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: pound · face · charge · saw · pitch · stock · toast · shower

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. shower — rain
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. charge — electricity
  8. pound — a weight
  9. charge — a price
  10. shower — to wash
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. face — to point toward
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. saw — the tool
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. charge — in control
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. face — to confront
  21. pitch — completely
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. toast — bread
  24. face — part of the head

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