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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: wave · stock · ground · lie · mug · trunk · firm · kick

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. mug — a cup
  5. ground — a position
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. mug — to rob
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. lie — to recline
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. ground — crushed
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. kick — in football
  15. stock — shares
  16. firm — decided
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. firm — a company
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. ground — the earth
  23. firm — steady
  24. mug — a face

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