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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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. band — a ring
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. rock — music
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. rash — a series
  11. bank — for money
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. bank — for money
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. stock — goods
  16. pass — a permit
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bank — of a river
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bear — the animal
  23. band — a music group
  24. rock — to move gently

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