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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 120 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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. stock — goods
  3. root — of a word
  4. root — the cause
  5. suit — in cards
  6. cell — in biology
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. capital — money
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. cell — a phone
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. stock — shares
  17. capital — a city
  18. suit — to fit
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. root — of a plant
  21. suit — clothes
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. ruler — for measuring

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