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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 116 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: bank · rash · trunk · pound · stock · plane · dip · lie

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. rash — a series
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bank — of a river
  10. pound — a weight
  11. stock — goods
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. dip — to sink
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. stock — shares

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