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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: kick · stock · mouse · craft · mate · board · staff · content

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mate — a friend
  4. content — the amount
  5. craft — boats
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. staff — employees
  8. stock — shares
  9. kick — in football
  10. staff — a stick
  11. board — to get on
  12. staff — employees
  13. craft — a skill
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. mate — to breed
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mate — a partner
  20. board — a committee
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. content — happy

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