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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: craft · plane · scale · pop · stock · press · firm · staff

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. press — a publisher
  3. pop — to visit
  4. craft — boats
  5. staff — employees
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. staff — employees
  8. firm — steady
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. plane — a tool
  11. press — to push
  12. firm — a company
  13. pop — soda
  14. scale — size or range
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. pop — music
  18. stock — goods
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. firm — decided
  21. press — newspapers
  22. staff — a stick
  23. craft — a skill
  24. plane — in geometry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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