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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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. net — in sport
  3. club — for dancing
  4. net — after costs
  5. current — happening now
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. root — of a word
  8. bass — the fish
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pit — in a race
  11. net — for catching
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. stock — shares
  14. pit — a hole
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. root — the cause
  18. stock — goods
  19. current — of water
  20. fork — in a road
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bass — low music
  23. current — electric
  24. bass — the instrument

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