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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: mine · stand · stock · face · wax · firm · calf · craft

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. craft — a skill
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. craft — boats
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. firm — decided
  11. face — to confront
  12. stand — to bear
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — to grow
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stock — goods
  17. face — to point toward
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. face — part of the head
  20. mine — for digging
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. calf — of the leg

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