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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. drill — army training
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. foot — a measure
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. mate — a friend
  11. chip — for betting
  12. mate — a partner
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. drill — a practice
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. chip — to eat
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. stock — goods
  22. mate — to breed
  23. drill — the tool
  24. mouse — the animal

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