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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 120 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
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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: capital · charge · hide · fan · safe · bowl · stock · face

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. charge — a price
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. face — to confront
  13. charge — electricity
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to point toward
  17. capital — a city
  18. charge — in control
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. capital — money
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. stock — goods

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