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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: ball · stand · prune · stock · snap · roll · stick · bank

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  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. stock — goods
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bank — of a river
  4. roll — a list
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. ball — a dance
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. roll — a cake
  11. stand — to bear
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bank — for money
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. prune — to trim
  20. snap — to click
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ball — a great time
  23. prune — to trim
  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