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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: track · key · snap · stock · trunk · content · ruler · bulb

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. track — a song
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. track — to keep track
  5. bulb — for light
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. snap — to click
  9. track — a path
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. key — the most important part
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stock — shares
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. content — happy
  18. content — the amount
  19. key — in music
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. key — for a lock
  24. ruler — for measuring

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