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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: plane · tube · stock · object · file · last · racket · nail

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. object — a thing
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. object — an aim
  7. file — a document
  8. file — a tool
  9. object — to protest
  10. file — a line of people
  11. last — finally
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. tube — the underground
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. last — to go on
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — shares
  22. tube — a container
  23. plane — a tool
  24. last — final

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