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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: ruler · squash · stock · pitcher · rash · press · fan · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. stock — goods
  3. rash — hasty
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. press — to push
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. press — a publisher
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. press — newspapers
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the sport
  18. stock — shares
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. rash — a series
  24. ruler — for measuring

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