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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 120 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 · bass · temple · fan · trunk · track

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bass — low music
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. stock — shares
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. bass — the fish
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stock — goods
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. track — a path

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