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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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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. stock — goods
  3. field — farmland
  4. field — for sport
  5. root — of a plant
  6. charge — in control
  7. root — the cause
  8. charge — electricity
  9. field — a subject
  10. key — in music
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. charge — a price
  13. rock — a stone
  14. key — for a lock
  15. root — of a word
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. chip — to eat
  18. key — the most important part
  19. rock — music
  20. chip — for betting
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. prune — to trim

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