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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
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: foot · cell · kick · stock · craft · fine · tube · spell

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. stock — goods
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. stock — shares
  7. tube — a container
  8. spell — a short time
  9. craft — boats
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — letters
  12. kick — in football
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. fine — high quality
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. foot — a measure
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — all right
  20. cell — in biology
  21. tube — the underground
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. cell — a phone
  24. tube — in a tire

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