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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
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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: key · tube · can · arm · ruler · plane · roll · stock

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. key — for a lock
  4. can — a tin
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. key — the most important part
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. can — a tin
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. stock — shares
  18. tube — a container
  19. plane — a tool
  20. key — in music
  21. can — to be able to
  22. stock — goods
  23. roll — a list
  24. tube — the underground

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