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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: plane · rash · court · firm · degree · bank · ball · stock

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bank — for money
  4. court — of law
  5. bank — of a river
  6. degree — an amount
  7. court — for sport
  8. stock — shares
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. degree — temperature
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — decided
  16. bank — for money
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — goods
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. degree — from a university
  21. ball — a dance
  22. rash — a series
  23. court — of a king
  24. plane — an aircraft

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