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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 120 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: kick · ruler · craft · stem · stock · foot

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. kick — in football
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. craft — boats
  9. stock — goods
  10. stem — to come from
  11. foot — a measure
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. stock — shares
  18. craft — a handicraft

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