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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: squash · leaves · pit · stock · key · plane · lean · rash

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. lean — thin
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. key — in music
  6. pit — in a race
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. squash — to crush
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — goods
  20. pit — a hole
  21. squash — the sport
  22. lean — to bend
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. squash — the vegetable

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