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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: cap · ball · trunk · dip · mate · pit · stock · object

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. dip — to sink
  4. mate — a friend
  5. object — a thing
  6. cap — a lid
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. mate — a partner
  10. stock — goods
  11. cap — a hat
  12. stock — shares
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cap — of ice
  15. pit — in a race
  16. mate — to breed
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. object — to protest
  20. ball — a dance
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. pit — a hole

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