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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: stock · drill · plane · ruler · net · lash · dip · lie

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. dip — to sink
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — the tool
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. net — in sport
  13. lie — to recline
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. plane — a tool
  16. net — after costs
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. stock — shares
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stock — goods
  21. drill — army training
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. dip — a sauce

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