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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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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 · prune · stand · trunk · rock · pop · staff · perch

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. prune — to trim
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. staff — employees
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pop — music
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stock — shares
  12. perch — the fish
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. prune — to trim
  15. staff — employees
  16. stand — to bear
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pop — soda
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. stock — goods
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. perch — for a bird

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