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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 · board · club · toast · mouse · date · season · face

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. club — for dancing
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. season — of the year
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. club — a group
  8. club — for golf
  9. date — the fruit
  10. season — in sport
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — part of the head
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. stock — goods
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. board — a committee
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. board — to get on
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. toast — bread
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. face — to confront

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