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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. root — of a word
  3. stock — shares
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. root — the cause
  6. bat — the animal
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. spell — a short time
  16. stock — goods
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. root — of a plant
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — to push
  23. spell — magic
  24. staff — employees

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