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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 120 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: stock · bowl · saw · suit · craft · scale · trunk · game

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. suit — to fit
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stock — shares
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. game — a match
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. stock — goods
  16. suit — in cards
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. scale — size or range
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. craft — boats
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. scale — in music
  24. game — wild animals

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