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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: pass · spring · craft · cue · board · ground · fall · stock

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. stock — shares
  3. spring — of water
  4. stock — goods
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. spring — the season
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. ground — crushed
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. cue — a hint
  12. board — a committee
  13. fall — the season
  14. pass — a permit
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — the earth
  18. board — to get on
  19. cue — for pool
  20. spring — a coil
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. craft — boats
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — to drop

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