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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: arm · rock · ball · mine · board · stock · trunk · safe

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. stock — shares
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. ball — a dance
  7. board — to get on
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rock — music
  11. ball — a great time
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. stock — goods
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. board — a committee
  20. rock — a stone
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. board — a flat piece

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