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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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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: trunk · stock · firm · object · perch · cue · straw · swing

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. stock — shares
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. swing — music
  7. stock — goods
  8. cue — for pool
  9. firm — a company
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. object — to protest
  12. firm — decided
  13. cue — a signal
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. object — a thing
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. cue — a hint
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — in golf
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. object — an aim
  24. firm — steady

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