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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bank — for money
  3. content — happy
  4. stock — goods
  5. root — of a plant
  6. vault — a safe
  7. content — the amount
  8. root — of a word
  9. rock — a stone
  10. spring — a coil
  11. stock — shares
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. rock — music
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bank — of a river
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. spring — of water
  20. spring — the season
  21. bank — for money
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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