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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: stem · rest · stick · mouse · craft · band · mug · stock

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. stock — goods
  3. rest — a break
  4. mug — to rob
  5. band — a ring
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stem — to come from
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. craft — boats
  13. stock — shares
  14. band — a music group
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. craft — a skill
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mug — a face
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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