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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: foot · lash · bore · stick · pit · net · stock · plane

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bore — to drill
  6. foot — a measure
  7. net — in sport
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. stock — goods
  10. net — after costs
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pit — in a race
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pit — a hole
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. net — for catching
  23. stock — shares
  24. bore — gave birth

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