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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 120 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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. root — the cause
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. land — to come down
  6. land — a country
  7. root — of a plant
  8. stock — goods
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. stock — shares
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bore — to drill
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. land — ground
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. root — of a word

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