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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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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: bowl · ruler · wound · craft · stock · kick

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. wound — an injury
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. stock — shares
  10. kick — in football
  11. craft — a skill
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. stock — goods
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. craft — boats
  18. bowl — to roll

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