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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: present · net · wave · craft · lash · stock · last · chest

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. last — to go on
  4. present — there
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. net — in sport
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. last — finally
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. net — after costs
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. present — a gift
  15. last — final
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. chest — a box
  18. stock — goods
  19. present — the time now
  20. chest — of your body
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. stock — shares
  23. net — for catching
  24. chest — of your body

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