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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bowl · trunk · leaves · stock · cabinet · wax · ball · tube

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. stock — goods
  3. ball — a great time
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. wax — to grow
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. ball — a dance
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. stock — shares
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. tube — a container

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