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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. root — of a plant
  3. root — the cause
  4. clip — to cut
  5. clip — a video
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. rock — music
  9. stock — shares
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. march — the month
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. clip — for paper
  17. root — of a word
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pound — a weight
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. march — music
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. march — the month

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