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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  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. straw — dry grass
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. rash — a series
  7. rush — hurry
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rash — hasty
  11. stock — shares
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. prune — to trim
  17. stand — to bear
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. stock — goods
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. root — of a word
  23. rash — on the skin
  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