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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: roll · stock · plane · bear · fine · squash · face · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. roll — a list
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. plane — a tool
  9. stock — shares
  10. squash — to crush
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. face — to point toward
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bear — the animal
  15. roll — a cake
  16. bear — the animal
  17. stock — goods
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. squash — the sport
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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