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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. present — the time now
  5. craft — a skill
  6. present — there
  7. craft — boats
  8. spell — letters
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. spell — a short time
  16. present — a gift
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. firm — a company
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. spell — magic
  24. stock — shares

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