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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: deal · stock · bass · can · craft · bowl · mark · plane

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bass — the fish
  4. can — a tin
  5. stock — shares
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. plane — a tool
  10. can — a tin
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. deal — to handle
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. stock — goods
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a skill
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. mark — a grade
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. mark — a trace
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bass — low music

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