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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. stock — goods
  3. track — a path
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. stock — shares
  7. root — the cause
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fork — in a road
  10. root — of a word
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. wind — moving air
  14. track — a song
  15. wind — moving air
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. lie — to recline

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