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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: mouse · plane · field · cabinet · calf · drill · stock · lean

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — for sport
  4. drill — the tool
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. stock — goods
  8. lean — thin
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. drill — army training
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. drill — a practice
  19. lean — to bend
  20. stock — shares
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. field — a subject
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. calf — a young animal

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