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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: stock · clip · firm · craft · plane · bowl · file · bore

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. file — a tool
  3. stock — shares
  4. bore — to tire
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. clip — to cut
  10. file — a document
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. firm — a company
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. clip — for paper
  16. bore — to drill
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. firm — steady
  19. craft — a skill
  20. firm — decided
  21. plane — a tool
  22. file — a line of people
  23. clip — a video
  24. bowl — a dish

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