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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: wave · stock · trunk · wound · can · branch · rule · mug

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. stock — shares
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. can — a tin
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. rule — a law
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. can — to be able to
  13. mug — to rob
  14. wound — an injury
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. mug — a face
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. stock — goods
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. can — a tin
  22. rule — government
  23. branch — a division
  24. mug — a cup

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