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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: foot · ground · trunk · deal · plane · file · bulb · stock

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. stock — shares
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bulb — for light
  11. file — a tool
  12. stock — goods
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bulb — for light
  15. file — a document
  16. ground — the earth
  17. deal — to handle
  18. foot — a measure
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. file — a line of people
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — crushed
  24. plane — a tool

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