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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. firm — decided
  4. stock — goods
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — for pool
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. plane — a tool
  9. firm — a company
  10. stock — shares
  11. scale — in music
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lean — to bend
  14. cue — a signal
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. lean — thin
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. scale — size or range
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. firm — steady

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