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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. drill — the tool
  3. stock — goods
  4. plane — a tool
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. court — of a king
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. capital — a city
  12. pass — a permit
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stock — shares
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. drill — army training
  17. court — of law
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. drill — a practice
  21. court — for sport
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. capital — money
  24. stock — a soup base

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