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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 · pound · bore · temple · roll · kid · mug · plane

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. stock — shares
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. mug — to rob
  8. roll — a cake
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. plane — a tool
  11. kid — child
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bore — to tire
  14. stock — goods
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. mug — a face
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pound — a weight
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. kid — to tease
  22. roll — a list
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. roll — on a roll

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