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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fall · file · bat · perch · craft · stand · stock · object

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bat — the animal
  6. object — a thing
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stock — goods
  9. fall — the season
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. file — a line of people
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. file — a document
  15. stock — shares
  16. craft — boats
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. object — to protest
  19. craft — a skill
  20. fall — to drop
  21. perch — the fish
  22. object — an aim
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. file — a tool

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