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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fork · stock · perch · lean · march · face · wake · key

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. march — music
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. lean — to bend
  8. fork — in a road
  9. march — the month
  10. face — part of the head
  11. key — for a lock
  12. march — the month
  13. lean — thin
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. key — the most important part
  16. wake — a trail
  17. perch — the fish
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. face — to confront
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — goods
  24. key — in music

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