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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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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 · lash · rest · bear · stand · bowl · toast · stock

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. bear — the animal
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. stock — goods
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. face — to point toward
  12. stock — shares
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rest — a break
  15. stand — to bear
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to confront
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. toast — bread

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