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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
468
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: sharp · spring · ground · fan · plane · ruler · stock · club

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. spring — of water
  5. sharp — clever
  6. ground — a position
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. plane — a tool
  10. ground — the earth
  11. spring — a coil
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. spring — the season
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. ground — crushed
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. club — for golf
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — a group
  24. ruler — a monarch

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