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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. stock — shares
  3. spell — magic
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. game — a match
  7. deal — to handle
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. stock — goods
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. spell — a short time
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a word
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. spell — letters
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. season — of the year
  19. season — in sport
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. game — wild animals
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. straw — a straw man

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