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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 116 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 · craft · ruler · mark · capital · spell · object · mug

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. capital — money
  3. stock — goods
  4. mug — a face
  5. stock — shares
  6. object — an aim
  7. spell — magic
  8. mark — a grade
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. capital — a city
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. mark — a trace
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. object — a thing
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. spell — a short time
  20. mug — a cup
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. object — to protest
  23. mug — to rob
  24. spell — letters

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