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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 120 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: suit · bore · stock · face · snap · root · mark · leaves

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. stock — goods
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. stock — shares
  5. suit — in cards
  6. face — part of the head
  7. mark — a grade
  8. root — of a plant
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bore — to tire
  13. root — the cause
  14. suit — to fit
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. face — to point toward
  18. mark — a trace
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. root — of a word
  22. face — to confront
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. snap — to click

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