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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: stand · current · calf · nail · stock · sharp · toast · craft

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. stand — to bear
  3. craft — boats
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. current — of water
  7. toast — bread
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. craft — a skill
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — shares
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. current — happening now
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. sharp — clever
  24. current — electric

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