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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 · bear · plane · saw · club · race · firm · chair

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. chair — a leader
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. club — a group
  5. bear — the animal
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. stock — shares
  8. plane — a tool
  9. race — humankind
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bear — the animal
  18. club — for golf
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. race — a contest
  21. stock — goods
  22. firm — decided
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chair — a professorship

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