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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: trunk · kid · suit · current · stock · dip · mine · wave

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. suit — to fit
  4. stock — goods
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. dip — to sink
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. kid — child
  12. suit — in cards
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. current — of water
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — electric
  20. stock — shares
  21. kid — to tease
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. dip — to dunk

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