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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. rush — hurry
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. lean — to bend
  6. club — for dancing
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. can — to be able to
  14. plane — a tool
  15. stock — shares
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. lean — thin
  18. stock — goods
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. can — a tin
  22. club — a group
  23. can — a tin
  24. club — for golf

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