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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 116 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. stock — goods
  5. craft — a skill
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. lean — to bend
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. net — in sport
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. net — after costs
  17. staff — employees
  18. craft — boats
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. staff — employees
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lean — thin
  23. stock — shares
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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