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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: stock · ruler · wax · firm · bank · trunk · coach · saw

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. stock — shares
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. firm — a company
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bank — of a river
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wax — to grow
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. firm — steady
  16. bank — for money
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bank — for money
  19. firm — decided
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of a tree

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