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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. stock — shares
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rush — hurry
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pound — a weight
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. stock — goods
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. hand — in cards
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. hand — help

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