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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: rule · kick · plane · fork · bulb · stock · rush · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. stock — goods
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rule — government
  20. rush — hurry
  21. plane — a tool
  22. rule — a law
  23. kick — in football
  24. stock — shares

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