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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: leaves · wave · stock · trunk · craft · rule · chest · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. craft — a skill
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. rule — government
  14. stock — goods
  15. chest — of your body
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. chest — of your body
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. rule — a law
  21. chest — a box
  22. stock — shares
  23. craft — boats
  24. trunk — of a car

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