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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: stock · ground · trunk · club · pound · can · wax · pit

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. can — to be able to
  7. ground — the earth
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. can — a tin
  11. club — for golf
  12. can — a tin
  13. club — a group
  14. pound — a weight
  15. ground — crushed
  16. pit — in a race
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. pit — a hole
  19. ground — a position
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. club — for dancing
  22. wax — to grow
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — goods

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