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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: roll · craft · lean · cabinet · foot · mark · stock · ball

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. stock — goods
  3. craft — boats
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. mark — a grade
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. craft — a skill
  12. roll — a cake
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. ball — a dance
  15. foot — a measure
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. stock — shares
  18. roll — a list
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to bend
  21. ball — a great time
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. mark — a trace
  24. ball — a round shape

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