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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. foot — a measure
  4. scale — in music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. clip — a video
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. stock — goods
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. stock — shares
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. clip — to cut
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. chair — a leader
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. clip — for paper
  22. firm — steady
  23. scale — size or range
  24. plane — a tool

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