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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
468
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: ruler · craft · face · press · wound · root · stock · current

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — boats
  6. face — to point toward
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stock — goods
  10. current — of water
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — the cause
  14. wound — an injury
  15. press — to push
  16. wound — an injury
  17. face — to confront
  18. root — of a word
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stock — shares
  21. press — newspapers
  22. current — happening now
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. current — electric

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