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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. fork — in a road
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. rest — what's left
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. root — the cause
  9. charge — electricity
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. root — of a word
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — to come from
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. stock — shares
  16. rest — a break
  17. craft — a skill
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. charge — a price
  21. stock — goods
  22. craft — boats
  23. root — of a plant
  24. charge — in control

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