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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: temple · chair · face · ground · swing · stock · can · bear

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. face — to confront
  5. bear — the animal
  6. face — part of the head
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. can — to be able to
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ground — the earth
  11. swing — music
  12. can — a tin
  13. swing — to play on
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. stock — goods
  18. ground — a position
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. stock — shares
  22. chair — a leader
  23. can — a tin
  24. bear — the animal

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