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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stock — shares
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. fall — the season
  7. stand — to bear
  8. band — a ring
  9. bear — the animal
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. rest — what's left
  13. stock — goods
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bear — the animal
  16. rest — a break
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. fall — to drop
  19. root — the cause
  20. band — a music group
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fall — to drop
  24. arm — part of the body

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