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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: pound · craft · stock · saw · rush · stand · vault · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. rush — hurry
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. saw — the tool
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stock — goods
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. craft — a skill
  11. vault — a safe
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pound — a weight
  14. stock — shares
  15. saw — the tool
  16. craft — boats
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stand — to bear
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rush — a thrill

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