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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: coach · stock · ball · mouse · rock · trunk · face · current

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. ball — a dance
  3. current — electric
  4. face — part of the head
  5. stock — shares
  6. current — happening now
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. face — to confront
  10. rock — music
  11. face — to point toward
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. stock — goods
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. current — of water
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a round shape

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