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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 120 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. stock — goods
  3. land — a country
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. land — ground
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. vault — a safe
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. stock — shares
  21. land — to come down
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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