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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. spring — a coil
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. root — of a word
  8. stock — goods
  9. spring — of water
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stand — to bear
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. object — to protest
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. deal — to handle
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. spring — the season
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. root — the cause
  22. object — an aim
  23. root — of a plant
  24. object — a thing

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