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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · plane · fine · rock · jam · rush · clip · lean

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. stock — shares
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. lean — to bend
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rush — hurry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. rock — a stone
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. clip — a video
  20. rock — music
  21. clip — to cut
  22. clip — for paper
  23. lean — thin
  24. stock — goods

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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