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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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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. root — of a word
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bank — for money
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. wound — an injury
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bank — for money
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bank — of a river
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. stock — shares
  15. wound — an injury
  16. root — of a plant
  17. foot — a measure
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. craft — boats
  20. root — the cause
  21. stock — goods
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. craft — a skill
  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