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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: face · stock · staff · suit · charge · content · deal · leaves

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — to point toward
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. suit — in cards
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. charge — a price
  9. suit — clothes
  10. stock — goods
  11. staff — employees
  12. charge — in control
  13. stock — shares
  14. deal — to handle
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — happy
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. staff — a stick
  20. charge — electricity
  21. suit — to fit
  22. content — the amount
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. face — part of the head

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