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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: mouse · stock · ruler · branch · hand · club · bound · trunk

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bound — obliged
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. club — for golf
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. stock — shares
  14. branch — a division
  15. bound — certain
  16. club — for dancing
  17. club — a group
  18. stock — goods
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bound — tied together
  24. hand — in cards

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