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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 120 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: stock · track · craft · rule · can · racket · firm · lean

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. track — to keep track
  3. craft — a skill
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. firm — a company
  6. rule — government
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. track — a song
  9. lean — thin
  10. can — a tin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. can — to be able to
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. stock — shares
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rule — a law
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. firm — steady
  19. track — a path
  20. can — a tin
  21. craft — boats
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. stock — goods
  24. firm — decided

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