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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 116 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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. tear — from crying
  3. season — of the year
  4. tear — from crying
  5. season — in sport
  6. stock — shares
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. tear — to rip
  10. plane — a tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bound — certain
  13. stock — goods
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cue — for pool
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. bound — tied together
  21. cue — a hint
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bound — obliged
  24. cue — a signal

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