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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: ground · stock · cue · pop · face · arm · cabinet · fan

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. stock — goods
  3. face — part of the head
  4. pop — to visit
  5. face — to point toward
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. stock — shares
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — crushed
  19. face — to confront
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. stock — a soup base

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