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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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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 · court · mark · stock · mug · tear · field · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. mug — a face
  3. mark — a trace
  4. stock — shares
  5. field — farmland
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. tear — to rip
  8. stock — goods
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. field — a subject
  12. court — of law
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. field — for sport
  15. tear — from crying
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mark — a grade
  19. court — for sport
  20. tear — from crying
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. court — of a king

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