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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: row · stock · nail · bulb · hide · sharp · firm · plane

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. sharp — clever
  3. plane — a tool
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. firm — steady
  10. row — a line
  11. row — to paddle
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stock — goods
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — decided
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. stock — shares
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. hide — to keep secret

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