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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: leaves · stock · tube · ground · cell · rock · suit · trunk

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — a phone
  4. stock — goods
  5. tube — a container
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. ground — a position
  10. ground — crushed
  11. rock — a stone
  12. stock — shares
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. suit — to fit
  17. tube — the underground
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rock — music
  24. ground — the earth

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