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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: staff · board · stock · mouse · current · firm · craft · sharp

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. current — of water
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. staff — employees
  5. firm — decided
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. stock — goods
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. current — happening now
  11. board — a committee
  12. staff — a stick
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. current — electric
  22. staff — employees
  23. board — to get on
  24. firm — a company

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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