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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  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. rash — on the skin
  2. ball — a dance
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. cue — a signal
  8. rash — hasty
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. rash — a series
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. bass — low music
  16. cue — a hint
  17. stand — to bear
  18. cue — for pool
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — goods
  21. stock — shares
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bass — the fish
  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