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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 · patient · stick · hide · toast · hand · temple · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. 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. craft — a handicraft
  2. stock — shares
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. hand — help
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. craft — boats
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. toast — bread
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. 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