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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. object — a thing
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stock — goods
  6. plane — a tool
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. object — an aim
  9. ball — a dance
  10. degree — from a university
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stock — shares
  13. object — to protest
  14. degree — an amount
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rock — a stone
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. degree — temperature
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — music
  23. ball — a great time
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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