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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: stock · craft · rock · roll · ruler · trunk · bass · lean

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  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 tree
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. stock — goods
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rock — a stone
  9. roll — a cake
  10. rock — music
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. roll — a list
  13. bass — the fish
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bass — low music
  16. lean — to bend
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. stock — shares
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. lean — thin
  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