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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: saw · face · arm · mate · stock · rash · press · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rash — a series
  3. press — a publisher
  4. face — to point toward
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. press — newspapers
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. face — to confront
  10. face — part of the head
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stock — goods
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — shares
  19. press — to push
  20. suit — clothes
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. rash — hasty
  24. mate — to breed

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