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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: ruler · jam · pound · stand · calf · date · craft · stock

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. stock — goods
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stock — shares
  18. pound — a weight
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. date — the fruit
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. craft — boats
  24. stand — to bear

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