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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: row · lean · trunk · fine · band · rest · stock · foot

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. row — a line
  3. stock — shares
  4. rest — what's left
  5. row — to paddle
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. lean — thin
  9. foot — a measure
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. lean — to bend
  14. fine — high quality
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a music group
  19. fine — all right
  20. stock — goods
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — the bottom

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