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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: craft · stock · ground · fan · club · prune · fine · lean

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — thin
  4. stock — goods
  5. craft — boats
  6. ground — crushed
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. club — for dancing
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fine — high quality
  14. club — a group
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ground — the earth
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. club — for golf
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. fine — all right
  24. stock — shares

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