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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.

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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: leaves · rock · hand · plane · stock · pass · cap · racket

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. hand — help
  4. cap — a hat
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. pass — a permit
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. rock — music
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. plane — a tool
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. hand — in cards
  14. stock — goods
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. cap — of ice
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. cap — a lid
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. stock — shares

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