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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: plane · club · degree · stand · stock · saw · cabinet · bulb

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stand — to bear
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. saw — the tool
  5. plane — a tool
  6. stock — goods
  7. club — for dancing
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. club — a group
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. club — for golf
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. degree — from a university
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stock — shares
  21. degree — temperature
  22. degree — an amount
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bulb — for light

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