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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stock · rush · pop · bore · hide · club · rash · plane

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. club — a group
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rash — a series
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. pop — music
  7. plane — a tool
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. club — for dancing
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. rush — hurry
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. bore — to tire
  19. pop — to visit
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. rash — hasty
  22. club — for golf
  23. pop — soda
  24. bore — to drill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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