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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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468
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: racket · bear · leaves · face · fall · roll · ruler · stock

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. fall — to drop
  4. face — part of the head
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. face — to point toward
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. stock — shares
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. fall — the season
  12. bear — the animal
  13. roll — a cake
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. fall — to drop
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. stock — goods
  20. face — to confront
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bear — the animal
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. ruler — for measuring

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