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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. court — of law
  4. chest — of your body
  5. stock — goods
  6. plane — a tool
  7. chest — a box
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mate — a friend
  12. chest — of your body
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. mate — to breed
  16. court — of a king
  17. charge — electricity
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. court — for sport
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — a price
  23. snap — to click
  24. mate — a partner

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