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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: key · stock · game · bowl · fine · patient · craft · mark

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. game — a match
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. stock — goods
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. key — for a lock
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fine — high quality
  12. stock — shares
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. craft — boats
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. key — in music
  23. fine — all right
  24. mark — a grade

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