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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 116 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: object · nail · game · field · stock · wax · vault · plane

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stock — shares
  5. object — an aim
  6. plane — a tool
  7. stock — goods
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — a thing
  12. field — for sport
  13. field — a subject
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. wax — to grow
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. vault — a safe
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. game — a match
  21. game — wild animals
  22. field — farmland
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. nail — for a hammer

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