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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 120 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: plane · ground · stock · cue · bark · hide · foot · arm

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. stock — goods
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. cue — a signal
  9. plane — a tool
  10. ground — crushed
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cue — for pool
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. cue — a hint
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. ground — a position
  20. stock — shares
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. plane — an aircraft

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