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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · rash · cue · ruler · stem · stock · roll · straw

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. cue — for pool
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. roll — a list
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stock — goods
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. roll — a cake

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