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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: foot · trunk · lean · mug · stock · file · bound · wax

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — shares
  3. mug — to rob
  4. file — a line of people
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lean — thin
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. file — a tool
  10. mug — a face
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bound — tied together
  14. file — a document
  15. wax — to grow
  16. mug — a cup
  17. foot — a measure
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. bound — certain
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bound — obliged
  23. lean — to bend
  24. trunk — of a car

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