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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: rock · track · board · deal · leaves · face · racket · stock

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. rock — a stone
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. track — a path
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. board — to get on
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. face — to point toward
  9. rock — music
  10. stock — goods
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. board — a committee
  14. track — to keep track
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. face — to confront
  17. track — a song
  18. stock — shares
  19. deal — to handle
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. face — part of the head
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. rock — to move gently

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