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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: track · stock · ruler · trunk · rash · suit · calf · tube

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. stock — shares
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. stock — goods
  6. tube — a container
  7. track — a song
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. suit — to fit
  11. tube — the underground
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. track — to keep track
  14. rash — a series
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. rash — hasty
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. track — a path
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. suit — in cards

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