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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: lie · suit · face · stock · rock · land · bear · cabinet

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stock — goods
  8. land — to come down
  9. face — part of the head
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. land — a country
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lie — to recline
  17. land — ground
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rock — music
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. suit — in cards

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