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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 120 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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. mark — a grade
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. rule — government
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. mark — a trace
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. wax — to grow
  16. kid — child
  17. kid — to tease
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — shares
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — a law

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