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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 120 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: plane · stock · bore · clip · staff · hide · bear · fork

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. clip — for paper
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. staff — a stick
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bore — to drill
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stock — goods
  15. bore — to tire
  16. clip — to cut
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stock — shares
  21. clip — a video
  22. fork — in a road
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. staff — employees

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