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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: rest · rock · cue · trunk · stock · date · current · chest

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. chest — a box
  3. rest — what's left
  4. current — of water
  5. chest — of your body
  6. stock — shares
  7. rock — a stone
  8. cue — a signal
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. current — happening now
  11. rest — a break
  12. stock — goods
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. rest — what's left
  15. current — electric
  16. chest — of your body
  17. rock — music
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. date — the fruit
  22. cue — a hint
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. trunk — of a car

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