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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: wound · plane · hide · patient · bowl · arm · stock · pop

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. wound — an injury
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. pop — to visit
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stock — goods
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. plane — a tool
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. pop — music
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. pop — soda
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wound — an injury
  24. hide — to keep secret

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