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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. net — for catching
  3. stock — goods
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. staff — a stick
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. root — of a word
  9. staff — employees
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. net — in sport
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — the fruit
  16. mate — a friend
  17. root — the cause
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a partner
  21. net — after costs
  22. root — of a plant
  23. staff — employees
  24. suit — in cards

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