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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stock · stand · rule · mouse · press · craft

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. press — to push
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stock — shares
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. press — newspapers
  13. craft — boats
  14. stock — goods
  15. rule — a law
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. press — a publisher
  18. craft — a skill

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