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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. plane — a tool
  3. charge — electricity
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. stock — goods
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. stock — shares
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. band — a music group
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — after costs
  15. spell — a short time
  16. vault — a safe
  17. net — in sport
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. spell — magic
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — a price
  23. band — a ring
  24. spell — letters

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