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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 · plane · ruler · stick · spring · lash · pop · trunk

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — a coil
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. plane — a tool
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. stock — goods
  12. pop — soda
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. pop — to visit
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. spring — of water
  21. stock — shares
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. pop — music

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