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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. key — in music
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. key — for a lock
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. key — the most important part
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stock — goods
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. sharp — clever
  16. stem — to come from
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — all right

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