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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.

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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: wave · mug · ruler · capital · stock · trunk

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. capital — a city
  7. stock — goods
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. mug — a face
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — to rob
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. stock — shares

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