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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: stock · toast · bear · wave · temple · hide · land · craft

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bear — the animal
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bear — the animal
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. land — to come down
  18. land — ground
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — shares
  24. land — a country

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