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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: spring · perch · dip · lash · craft · row · stock · key

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. key — in music
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — of water
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. stock — goods
  8. key — for a lock
  9. key — the most important part
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. dip — to sink
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. row — to paddle
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — shares
  21. craft — boats
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. spring — a coil
  24. row — a line

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