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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 120 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. root — of a word
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. can — a tin
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bound — obliged
  9. stock — shares
  10. pop — soda
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. stock — goods
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pop — to visit
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rush — hurry
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pop — music
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — tied together
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — the cause

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