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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 120 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: pitcher · mate · stock · current · stand · trunk · wake · firm

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. firm — steady
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — a partner
  7. firm — decided
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. current — happening now
  10. wake — a trail
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. mate — to breed
  13. stock — goods
  14. stand — to bear
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. current — electric
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. firm — a company
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. current — of water
  23. stock — shares
  24. stand — for spectators

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