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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 · root · hide · calf · race · rock · stock · net

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. rock — a stone
  5. stock — shares
  6. net — for catching
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. rock — music
  12. net — after costs
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. race — humankind
  15. race — the arms race
  16. root — the cause
  17. plane — a tool
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. race — a contest
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. net — in sport
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. hide — animal skin

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