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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.

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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: wax · stock · pit · lie · plane · bore · rock · current

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. pit — a hole
  4. plane — a tool
  5. rock — music
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bore — to tire
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rock — a stone
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — goods
  13. current — electric
  14. bore — to drill
  15. pit — in a race
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. current — happening now
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. current — of water
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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