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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: rash · plane · stock · pitcher · band · hide · bulb · drill

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. stock — shares
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bulb — for light
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. drill — a practice
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. band — a ring
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bulb — for light
  17. stock — goods
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rash — a series
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. band — a music group

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