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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: sharp · lie · plane · stock · drill · face · bulb · mug

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. drill — the tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. drill — a practice
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mug — a cup
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. mug — to rob
  11. face — part of the head
  12. mug — a face
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. drill — army training
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. sharp — clever
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. face — to confront
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. face — to point toward
  23. stock — shares
  24. plane — a tool

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