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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.

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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: stand · stock · craft · squash · rush · stem · last · mouse

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the sport
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. last — final
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. last — finally
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. craft — a skill
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. rush — hurry
  23. stock — shares
  24. last — to go on

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