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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. fall — to drop
  5. stock — shares
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. current — of water
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fall — the season
  10. face — to confront
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. current — happening now
  13. object — a thing
  14. current — electric
  15. object — an aim
  16. face — to point toward
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. craft — boats
  23. object — to protest
  24. face — part of the head

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