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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: hide · fine · face · staff · cap · snap · stock · pass

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to confront
  3. stock — shares
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — all right
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. staff — employees
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. pass — a permit
  12. stock — goods
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. face — to point toward
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. cap — a lid
  17. fine — high quality
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. staff — employees
  20. snap — to click
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. cap — a hat
  23. staff — a stick
  24. cap — of ice

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