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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: trunk · stock · object · mate · spring · craft · lie · present

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mate — a friend
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. mate — to breed
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. spring — a coil
  11. present — the time now
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. spring — of water
  14. craft — a skill
  15. stock — shares
  16. object — to protest
  17. lie — to recline
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. present — a gift
  21. craft — boats
  22. spring — the season
  23. present — there
  24. mate — a partner

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