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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: snap · stock · trunk · pitcher · can · perch · wave · board

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stock — goods
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. board — a committee
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. can — to be able to
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. board — to get on
  13. can — a tin
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. can — a tin
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stock — shares
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. snap — to click

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