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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: ground · net · stand · straw · object · craft · root · stock

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. ground — crushed
  3. object — an aim
  4. stand — to bear
  5. object — a thing
  6. root — of a word
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — shares
  9. net — for catching
  10. root — the cause
  11. root — of a plant
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. ground — a position
  14. stock — goods
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ground — the earth
  17. object — to protest
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. craft — boats
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — in sport
  24. stand — for spectators

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