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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: race · plane · sharp · wake · bear · mouse · stock · chair

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. race — the arms race
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. plane — a tool
  9. race — a contest
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. stock — goods
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stock — shares
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bear — the animal
  23. race — humankind
  24. chair — a leader

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