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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. root — of a plant
  3. present — there
  4. prune — to trim
  5. present — the time now
  6. bass — low music
  7. mate — a friend
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a word
  11. prune — to trim
  12. roll — a cake
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. stock — goods
  15. bass — the fish
  16. stock — shares
  17. board — to get on
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. roll — a list
  21. present — a gift
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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