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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: drill · plane · toast · straw · mate · racket · perch · stock

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stock — goods
  6. mate — to breed
  7. toast — bread
  8. drill — the tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. perch — the fish
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stock — shares
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. drill — army training
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. drill — a practice
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. mate — a partner
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. mate — a friend

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