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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.

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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. board — to get on
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. cold — not warm
  7. cold — an illness
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. stock — shares
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. board — a committee
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. ruler — for measuring

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