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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 120 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: pop · wake · trunk · branch · stock · fine · board · wave

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. fine — all right
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. stock — shares
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. wake — a trail
  10. fine — high quality
  11. stock — goods
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. board — a committee
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. pop — soda
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. board — to get on
  19. branch — a division
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. pop — music
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. pop — to visit

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