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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. key — in music
  3. stock — shares
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. prune — to trim
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stock — goods
  12. rash — hasty
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. craft — a skill
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. kid — child
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — the most important part
  20. craft — boats
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pass — a permit
  23. kid — to tease
  24. rash — a series

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