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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: perch · craft · stock · face · net · can · board · mark

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. face — to point toward
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. face — to confront
  7. perch — the fish
  8. face — part of the head
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. board — a committee
  12. mark — a trace
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. net — after costs
  15. craft — a skill
  16. can — to be able to
  17. net — for catching
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — shares
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. mark — a grade

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