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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: plane · ball · ruler · stock · field · bay · mouse · ground

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. ground — a position
  3. field — a subject
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. stock — goods
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ball — a dance
  15. field — for sport
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. plane — a tool
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. field — farmland
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. ground — crushed

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