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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · land · bank · stick · trunk · content · ball · arm

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. land — a country
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. content — happy
  7. land — ground
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bank — of a river
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. bank — for money
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bank — for money
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stock — shares
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. content — the amount
  23. land — to come down
  24. stock — goods

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