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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: ruler · pound · nail · stock · wake · vault · date · plane

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. pound — a weight
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. wake — a trail
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. stock — shares
  17. date — the fruit
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. stock — goods
  22. plane — a tool
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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