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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 · face · stock · game · suit · pitch · craft · bowl

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. craft — boats
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. pitch — completely
  7. game — wild animals
  8. stock — shares
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. face — to confront
  11. craft — a skill
  12. stock — goods
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. face — to point toward
  15. game — a match
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. suit — to fit
  24. craft — a handicraft

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