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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — a safe
  6. can — a tin
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. can — a tin
  10. wake — a trail
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — a company
  13. stock — goods
  14. root — of a plant
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. cold — not warm
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. can — to be able to
  20. mug — a face
  21. root — the cause
  22. firm — steady
  23. mug — a cup
  24. cold — an illness

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