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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: current · staff · face · stock · root · deal · club · object

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. face — to confront
  3. root — the cause
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. staff — employees
  6. club — a group
  7. root — of a plant
  8. stock — shares
  9. object — to protest
  10. staff — employees
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. object — an aim
  13. staff — a stick
  14. club — for dancing
  15. current — happening now
  16. club — for golf
  17. root — of a word
  18. current — of water
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. object — a thing
  22. current — electric
  23. face — part of the head
  24. stock — goods

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