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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. root — of a word
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. scale — size or range
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bulb — for light
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. chip — for betting
  12. scale — in music
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — goods
  22. root — of a plant
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. root — the cause

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