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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. drill — army training
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. rock — music
  5. stock — shares
  6. fine — all right
  7. scale — in music
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. stock — goods
  10. fine — high quality
  11. plane — a tool
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. scale — size or range
  14. foot — a measure
  15. drill — a practice
  16. lean — to bend
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. rock — a stone
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. drill — the tool
  24. lean — thin

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