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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: cue · racket · branch · stock · plane · cap · present · bat

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. stock — shares
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. cue — for pool
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cue — a hint
  8. branch — a division
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stock — goods
  13. present — a gift
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. present — the time now
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. cap — a hat
  22. present — there
  23. bat — the animal
  24. cue — a signal

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