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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. can — a tin
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. snap — to click
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. stand — to bear
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. object — an aim
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. branch — a division
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. stock — shares
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. object — to protest
  21. can — a tin
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. object — a thing
  24. can — to be able to

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