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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. plane — a tool
  4. stock — shares
  5. craft — boats
  6. can — a tin
  7. craft — a skill
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to tire
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. can — a tin
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. can — to be able to
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bore — to drill
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. plane — an aircraft

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