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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. stock — goods
  3. stock — shares
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. bound — tied together
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bound — obliged
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. tear — to rip
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. tear — from crying
  14. root — of a plant
  15. branch — a division
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bound — certain
  18. tear — from crying
  19. root — the cause
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. root — of a word
  23. can — to be able to
  24. stock — a soup base

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