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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: toast · craft · pop · stock · rock · deal · object · snap

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. pop — music
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — boats
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. stock — goods
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. object — a thing
  10. rock — music
  11. pop — soda
  12. toast — bread
  13. rock — a stone
  14. pop — to visit
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — to handle
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — to protest
  21. stock — shares
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. stock — a soup base

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