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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: rash · board · suit · shower · mate · mug · stock · face

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mug — a face
  3. mate — a friend
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mug — to rob
  6. face — to point toward
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. rash — hasty
  10. mug — a cup
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mate — a partner
  13. board — to get on
  14. stock — goods
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. shower — rain
  18. shower — to wash
  19. face — part of the head
  20. rash — a series
  21. suit — in cards
  22. face — to confront
  23. board — a committee
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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