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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
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: chip · stock · wax · charge · date · fan · face · bulb

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. face — to confront
  3. stock — goods
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. chip — for betting
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. date — the fruit
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. stock — shares
  13. charge — electricity
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. face — to point toward
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bulb — for light
  22. chip — to eat
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. fan — a supporter

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