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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: jam · prune · stock · perch · rush · current · craft · wake

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stock — goods
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. craft — a skill
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. stock — shares
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. rush — hurry
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. current — of water
  14. prune — to trim
  15. craft — boats
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. current — happening now
  18. wake — a trail
  19. current — electric
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. prune — to trim

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