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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pound · court · stick · trunk · mouse · stand · stock · spring

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. court — of law
  3. spring — of water
  4. stand — to bear
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. spring — the season
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. stock — shares
  10. spring — a coil
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pound — a weight
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. stock — goods
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. court — for sport
  22. court — of a king
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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