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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 120 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. root — of a plant
  3. stock — goods
  4. firm — decided
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. root — of a word
  9. chest — a box
  10. band — a ring
  11. root — the cause
  12. firm — a company
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mate — a partner
  15. stock — shares
  16. firm — steady
  17. chest — of your body
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. band — a music group
  20. chest — of your body
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — to breed
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. leaves — to go away

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