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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: trunk · fine · pound · bay · stock · land · bank · wave

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. land — a country
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bank — for money
  10. land — ground
  11. land — to come down
  12. fine — high quality
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. stock — shares
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. pound — a weight
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. fine — all right
  22. stock — goods
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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