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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. present — a gift
  4. can — a tin
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bound — certain
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. stock — goods
  9. stock — shares
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. snap — to click
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bound — obliged
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. present — the time now
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bound — tied together
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. present — there
  24. calf — a young 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