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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. stock — shares
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — of a plant
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — a hole
  8. prune — to trim
  9. root — the cause
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bank — for money
  15. season — of the year
  16. spell — letters
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — magic
  24. craft — boats

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