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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: mark · band · row · bowl · plane · calf · charge · stock

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mark — a grade
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. band — a music group
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. row — a line
  15. charge — in control
  16. stock — shares
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. band — a ring
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. row — to paddle
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. stock — goods

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