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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: stand · date · row · bore · swing · stock · scale · plane

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. swing — music
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. bore — to tire
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. scale — size or range
  7. stock — goods
  8. plane — a tool
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. row — a line
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bore — to drill
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. date — the fruit
  21. stock — shares
  22. swing — to play on
  23. stand — to bear
  24. swing — in golf

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