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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: suit · temple · drill · dip · board · stock · court · plane

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. drill — a practice
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. court — of law
  7. dip — to sink
  8. stock — goods
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — for sport
  16. drill — army training
  17. board — to get on
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stock — shares
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. drill — the tool
  24. suit — to fit

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