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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. stock — shares
  3. tube — the underground
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. stock — goods
  6. mine — for digging
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. tube — a container
  15. rush — hurry
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cell — in biology
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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