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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: straw · object · cabinet · stock · trunk · ball · patient · root

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. stock — goods
  3. object — an aim
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ball — a dance
  6. stock — shares
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. root — of a word
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. object — a thing
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. root — the cause
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. root — of a plant
  21. object — to protest
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. ball — a great time

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