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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: sharp · racket · trunk · stock · cue · cap · leaves · ball

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. cap — a lid
  4. ball — a dance
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. stock — shares
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. cap — a hat
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cap — of ice
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. stock — goods
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. cue — for pool
  23. ball — a great time
  24. racket — a loud noise

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