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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: current · wake · wave · pitcher · stock · game · cue · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. current — happening now
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. current — of water
  9. stock — goods
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stock — shares
  18. game — wild animals
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. game — a match
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — for pool
  24. current — electric

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