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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: stick · bound · rock · stock · trunk · spell · band · fine

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rock — a stone
  5. spell — letters
  6. bound — obliged
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. fine — high quality
  9. spell — magic
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. band — a music group
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — goods
  14. fine — all right
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. band — a ring
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bound — certain
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — music
  21. spell — a short time
  22. bound — tied together
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. fine — a penalty

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