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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: stem · stock · date · mug · chest · pitcher · firm · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. chest — a box
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. stock — shares
  7. craft — boats
  8. firm — a company
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. date — the fruit
  11. chest — of your body
  12. chest — of your body
  13. mug — a face
  14. firm — decided
  15. stem — to come from
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. stock — goods
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a cup
  24. firm — steady

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