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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. stock — shares
  7. rock — a stone
  8. content — happy
  9. ball — a dance
  10. plane — a tool
  11. rock — music
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. content — the amount
  16. stand — to bear
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. stock — goods
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fork — in a road
  24. tube — a container

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