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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. scale — in music
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. stock — shares
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to sink
  9. plane — a tool
  10. band — a ring
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. scale — size or range
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. board — a committee
  15. roll — a cake
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. roll — a list
  18. band — a music group
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. calf — a young animal

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