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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: rest · stock · racket · craft · object · spell · rock · snap

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. object — a thing
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. craft — boats
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. craft — a skill
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. rest — a break
  12. snap — to click
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. stock — shares
  15. spell — letters
  16. rock — music
  17. object — to protest
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. rock — a stone
  22. spell — a short time
  23. stock — goods
  24. object — an aim

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