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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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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: club · stock · rash · bay · bank · snap · suit · face

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. face — part of the head
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — a group
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. club — for golf
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. face — to point toward
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. stock — goods
  17. snap — to click
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. rash — a series
  20. bank — of a river
  21. stock — shares
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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