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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: net · plane · ball · chair · stock · dip · fine · wake

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — in sport
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. plane — a tool
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. wake — a trail
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — goods
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. net — after costs
  18. dip — to sink
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. chair — a leader
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. fine — high quality

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