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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: lean · ball · craft · key · stock · toast · game · mouse

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. lean — to bend
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ball — a great time
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. game — a match
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. stock — shares
  11. game — wild animals
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. toast — bread
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. key — in music
  17. lean — thin
  18. key — the most important part
  19. stock — goods
  20. key — for a lock
  21. craft — boats
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. ball — a dance

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