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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: craft · toast · capital · stock · rock · racket · net · bear

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. rock — music
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. toast — bread
  5. stock — goods
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bear — the animal
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. bear — the animal
  10. craft — boats
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. stock — shares
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. net — in sport
  16. rock — a stone
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. capital — a city
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. craft — a skill
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. capital — money
  24. net — for catching

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