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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bear · pop · cap · fine · face · net · firm · stock

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. face — part of the head
  3. fine — high quality
  4. face — to point toward
  5. pop — soda
  6. firm — decided
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — all right
  9. net — after costs
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cap — of ice
  12. net — for catching
  13. bear — the animal
  14. face — to confront
  15. cap — a hat
  16. firm — a company
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. pop — music
  19. stock — shares
  20. stock — goods
  21. firm — steady
  22. pop — to visit
  23. cap — a lid
  24. net — in sport

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