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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.

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: pit · plane · nail · cap · cold · suit · stock · clip

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cold — an illness
  5. cap — of ice
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. cold — not warm
  8. clip — a video
  9. pit — in a race
  10. stock — shares
  11. pit — a hole
  12. stock — goods
  13. clip — to cut
  14. suit — in cards
  15. plane — a tool
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. clip — for paper
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. suit — clothes
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cap — a hat

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