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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: stock · rock · race · calf · file · plane · drill · leaves

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  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. plane — an aircraft
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. rock — music
  4. drill — a practice
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. drill — the tool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. stock — shares
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rock — a stone
  15. file — a document
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — the arms race
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — goods
  21. race — humankind
  22. file — a tool
  23. drill — army training
  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