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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: trunk · mug · mate · leaves · squash · pit · stock · face

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  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. trunk — of a car
  2. face — part of the head
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pit — a hole
  6. mug — a face
  7. squash — the sport
  8. mug — a cup
  9. face — to confront
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. face — to point toward
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mug — to rob
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pit — in a race
  19. squash — to crush
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. mate — a friend
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. squash — the vegetable
  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