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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: face · band · march · safe · chip · stock · mouse · wave

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. chip — for betting
  3. band — a ring
  4. march — music
  5. stock — shares
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. march — the month
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chip — to eat
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. stock — goods
  15. march — the month
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. face — to point toward
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. face — part of the head
  23. band — a music group
  24. face — to confront

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