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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: scale · stock · stick · date · bowl · pit · squash · plane

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. stock — shares
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. squash — to crush
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. scale — in music
  13. pit — in a race
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. squash — the sport
  21. date — the fruit
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. scale — size or range
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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