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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 116 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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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: stock · deal · mark · mouse · hand · rest · stick · craft

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mark — a trace
  4. stock — goods
  5. craft — boats
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. deal — to handle
  11. hand — help
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. craft — a skill
  16. rest — a break
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. hand — in cards
  22. mark — a grade
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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