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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: staff · deal · wax · stock · roll · plane · rash · current

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. stock — goods
  5. staff — employees
  6. rash — a series
  7. current — of water
  8. roll — a cake
  9. rash — hasty
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. current — happening now
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. wax — to grow
  16. plane — a tool
  17. roll — a list
  18. stock — shares
  19. staff — employees
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. current — electric
  24. staff — a stick

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