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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. mark — a trace
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — a tool
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. band — a music group
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. perch — the fish
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bass — low music
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. mark — a grade
  20. stock — goods
  21. band — a ring
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bass — the fish
  24. mouse — the animal

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