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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 120 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. stock — goods
  6. fall — to drop
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fall — the season
  10. bore — to drill
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. suit — clothes
  17. fall — to drop
  18. plane — a tool
  19. hand — in cards
  20. stock — shares
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. hand — help
  24. bore — to tire

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