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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bank — for money
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bank — of a river
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. prune — to trim
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. ball — a great time
  11. sharp — clever
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bank — for money
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stock — shares
  21. ball — a dance
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stock — goods

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