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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: mouse · rock · stock · foot · bank · wake · trunk · ball

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. stock — goods
  3. bank — for money
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. foot — a measure
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bank — of a river
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bank — for money
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. rock — a stone
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. wake — a trail
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — shares
  23. ball — a dance
  24. rock — music

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