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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: rock · stock · plane · track · firm · wax · saw · pit

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. rock — music
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. stock — goods
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. track — a song
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pit — in a race
  10. wax — to grow
  11. plane — a tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. stock — shares
  15. track — a path
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rock — a stone
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — steady
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. firm — a company
  22. track — to keep track
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. pit — a hole

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