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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 120 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: fine · rush · ground · straw · stock · object · sharp · craft

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. stock — goods
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — to protest
  5. fine — all right
  6. rush — hurry
  7. object — an aim
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. fine — high quality
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stock — shares
  15. ground — crushed
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. ground — the earth
  24. craft — boats

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