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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: craft · cabinet · mug · foot · snap · stock · rush · track

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mug — a face
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. craft — boats
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. mug — to rob
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. track — a path
  14. stock — shares
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. track — a song
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. mug — a cup
  20. foot — a measure
  21. stock — goods
  22. track — to keep track
  23. craft — a skill
  24. snap — to click

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