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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.

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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: bat · craft · bound · firm · stock · mate · face · foot

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. face — to confront
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. face — to point toward
  8. stock — shares
  9. craft — a skill
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. face — part of the head
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. firm — a company
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — to breed
  17. stock — goods
  18. firm — decided
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — obliged
  21. firm — steady
  22. foot — a measure
  23. craft — boats
  24. mate — a partner

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