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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: fine · rule · face · mouse · stock · firm · bulb · fall

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. rule — a law
  3. firm — steady
  4. rule — government
  5. bulb — for light
  6. firm — a company
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. stock — goods
  9. fine — high quality
  10. face — to confront
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. fine — all right
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. fall — to drop
  15. face — part of the head
  16. fall — the season
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fall — to drop
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. firm — decided
  23. stock — shares
  24. bulb — for light

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