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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 116 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: prune · press · stock · row · craft · saw · fine · club

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. prune — to trim
  3. fine — high quality
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. row — to paddle
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. club — a group
  11. row — a line
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. craft — boats
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. craft — a skill
  16. fine — all right
  17. stock — shares
  18. prune — to trim
  19. press — to push
  20. press — a publisher
  21. club — for dancing
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. press — newspapers
  24. club — for golf

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