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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: object · craft · jam · coach · face · rush · stock · mark

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. object — to protest
  3. stock — shares
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rush — hurry
  8. face — part of the head
  9. object — an aim
  10. mark — a grade
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mark — a trace
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. face — to confront
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. stock — goods
  20. face — to point toward
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. object — a thing
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. coach — a trainer

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