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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: leaves · cabinet · stick · wave · stock · face · game · track

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. face — to point toward
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. track — a path
  15. track — a song
  16. stock — goods
  17. game — a match
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. track — to keep track
  20. face — to confront
  21. game — wild animals
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — shares

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