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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
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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: land · game · stock · key · bass · row · pit · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. pit — in a race
  5. game — a match
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. row — to paddle
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. key — the most important part
  10. stock — goods
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. land — a country
  13. key — for a lock
  14. row — a line
  15. bass — the fish
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bass — low music
  18. key — in music
  19. stock — shares
  20. pit — a hole
  21. land — ground
  22. land — to come down
  23. craft — a skill
  24. game — wild animals

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