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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. club — for dancing
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. lean — thin
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. track — a song
  7. fine — high quality
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. lean — to bend
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. stock — goods
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. plane — a tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. club — a group
  17. track — to keep track
  18. club — for golf
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. squash — the sport
  21. stock — shares
  22. fine — all right
  23. squash — to crush
  24. track — a path

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