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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: lie · rash · stock · toast · face · bowl · race · branch

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. rash — a series
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. stock — shares
  7. face — part of the head
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. stock — goods
  10. race — the arms race
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. face — to confront
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. race — humankind
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. branch — a division
  18. rash — hasty
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. toast — bread
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. face — to point toward

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