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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 116 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: deal · stock · bay · stick · face · charge · club · plane

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. face — to confront
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. club — a group
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. stock — goods
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — part of the head
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. charge — in control
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. club — for golf
  22. stock — shares
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. club — for dancing

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