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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: drill · spring · stock · date · plane · board · charge · wake

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. stock — goods
  5. spring — of water
  6. plane — a tool
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — a trail
  9. charge — a price
  10. drill — the tool
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. date — the fruit
  14. stock — shares
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. spring — a coil
  17. charge — in control
  18. board — to get on
  19. spring — the season
  20. drill — a practice
  21. charge — electricity
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. board — a committee
  24. plane — an aircraft

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