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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. plane — a tool
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. spell — a short time
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. club — for dancing
  9. spell — magic
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stock — shares
  13. club — for golf
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — to trim
  17. club — a group
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. vault — a safe
  20. mark — a grade
  21. spell — letters
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. mark — a trace

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