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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: bowl · lean · stock · fine · present · cap · craft · fall

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. cap — a lid
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. craft — boats
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fall — the season
  13. fine — all right
  14. stock — goods
  15. lean — thin
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. fine — high quality
  19. cap — of ice
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. stock — shares
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. present — there
  24. cap — a hat

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