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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: ruler · squash · date · track · rest · plane · stock · board

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. track — a path
  4. track — a song
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the sport
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. stock — shares
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rest — what's left
  13. stock — goods
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. rest — what's left
  17. board — to get on
  18. date — the fruit
  19. plane — a tool
  20. board — a committee
  21. rest — a break
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. plane — in geometry

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