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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 116 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: wind · mouse · bowl · stock · face · fan · sharp · mug

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. sharp — clever
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. face — to point toward
  5. wind — moving air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stock — goods
  8. face — to confront
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. wind — moving air
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. face — part of the head
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. stock — shares
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — to rob

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