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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: stock · stem · wax · date · face · rock · craft · fine

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. face — to point toward
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. craft — boats
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. stock — shares
  10. face — part of the head
  11. fine — high quality
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stem — to come from
  14. rock — a stone
  15. wax — to grow
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. stock — goods
  18. date — the fruit
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. rock — music
  23. fine — all right
  24. craft — a skill

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