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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. mate — a friend
  3. stock — shares
  4. bank — of a river
  5. root — the cause
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. root — of a word
  8. bank — for money
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. club — for golf
  11. stock — goods
  12. bound — certain
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bound — obliged
  16. club — for dancing
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. club — a group
  19. bound — tied together
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bank — for money
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. root — of a plant

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