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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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. object — an aim
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bank — for money
  5. root — the cause
  6. object — to protest
  7. root — of a word
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bank — for money
  12. root — of a plant
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — a position
  18. pitch — completely
  19. ground — the earth
  20. object — a thing
  21. stock — goods
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — in football
  24. stock — a soup base

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