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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. plane — a tool
  4. march — the month
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. row — to paddle
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. row — a line
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. stock — shares
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. march — music
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. stock — goods
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. march — the month
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — to trim

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