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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: rush · key · stock · mouse · craft · content · firm · degree

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. key — in music
  4. degree — from a university
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. degree — temperature
  8. key — for a lock
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. content — the amount
  14. firm — decided
  15. key — the most important part
  16. content — happy
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stock — shares
  19. craft — boats
  20. degree — an amount
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. firm — a company
  23. rush — hurry
  24. firm — steady

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