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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ball — a dance
  3. stock — goods
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. firm — decided
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wind — moving air
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. track — a song
  16. track — to keep track
  17. firm — steady
  18. track — a path
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. firm — a company
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — a soup base

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