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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: object · fan · drill · stock · mate · track · date · trunk

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  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. drill — army training
  2. date — the fruit
  3. stock — shares
  4. track — a path
  5. object — an aim
  6. mate — a friend
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a song
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. drill — a practice
  14. stock — goods
  15. object — to protest
  16. mate — to breed
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mate — a partner
  19. drill — the tool
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. object — a thing
  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