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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: tube · rush · stock · mate · sharp · rest · face · stick

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. tube — a container
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. mate — a friend
  6. tube — the underground
  7. stock — goods
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. sharp — clever
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mate — to breed
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mate — a partner
  17. rush — hurry
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rest — a break
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — part of the head
  24. rest — what's left

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