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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 ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. cell — in biology
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. pit — a hole
  7. track — a song
  8. tube — a container
  9. saw — the tool
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. track — to keep track
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. tube — the underground
  16. track — a path
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. cell — a phone
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stock — shares
  24. pit — in a race

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