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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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. root — of a plant
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. root — the cause
  6. object — an aim
  7. scale — in music
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. rash — a series
  10. pit — in a race
  11. object — a thing
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. pit — a hole
  14. stock — goods
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. scale — size or range
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. root — of a word
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. object — to protest
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. plane — a tool
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rash — hasty

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