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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: hand · current · stock · cue · bear · plane · racket · wax

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bear — the animal
  4. current — of water
  5. stock — shares
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. hand — help
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. hand — in cards
  13. current — electric
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cue — a signal
  19. wax — to grow
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — for pool
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. plane — a tool
  24. current — happening now

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