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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 120 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: bank · trunk · stock · track · snap · cap · prune · bay

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bank — of a river
  5. track — a path
  6. bank — for money
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. track — a song
  11. stock — goods
  12. prune — to trim
  13. track — to keep track
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. cap — of ice
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bank — for money
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. stock — shares
  21. cap — a lid
  22. snap — to click
  23. cap — a hat
  24. prune — the fruit

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