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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
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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: face · mouse · file · root · current · ball · stock · wave

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. stock — shares
  4. face — to point toward
  5. file — a tool
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. current — electric
  9. ball — a dance
  10. root — the cause
  11. face — to confront
  12. file — a line of people
  13. root — of a plant
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. current — happening now
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. root — of a word
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. file — a document
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. current — of water
  23. ball — a great time
  24. face — part of the head

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