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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. stand — to bear
  6. root — of a plant
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. field — for sport
  9. board — to get on
  10. stock — goods
  11. bank — for money
  12. field — a subject
  13. ground — a position
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. stock — shares
  16. bank — of a river
  17. board — a committee
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bank — for money
  21. sharp — clever
  22. ground — crushed
  23. field — farmland
  24. root — the cause

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