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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 · stock · vault · branch · rest · stick · ground · spell

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. stock — goods
  5. spell — magic
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. rest — a break
  9. ground — the earth
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. branch — a division
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. spell — a short time
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stock — shares
  16. ground — crushed
  17. vault — a safe
  18. rest — what's left
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. craft — boats
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. craft — a skill
  24. ground — a position

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