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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: bank · mark · snap · prune · trunk · stock · mouse · rock

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. stock — goods
  3. rock — music
  4. snap — to click
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mark — a grade
  7. bank — for money
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bank — for money
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stock — shares
  21. bank — of a river
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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