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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: mark · tube · leaves · stock · stand · craft · perch · tear

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. tube — a container
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. tear — to rip
  8. craft — boats
  9. tear — from crying
  10. perch — the fish
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mark — a grade
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stock — shares
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. stand — to bear
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. stock — goods
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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