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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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. club — for dancing
  3. root — the cause
  4. dip — to sink
  5. root — of a plant
  6. club — a group
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. club — for golf
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. root — of a word
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rock — music
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. perch — the fish
  20. stock — shares
  21. rush — hurry
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. calf — a young animal

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