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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 116 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. file — a document
  3. stock — shares
  4. root — the cause
  5. stock — goods
  6. deal — to handle
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rush — hurry
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. root — of a plant
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. file — a line of people
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. root — of a word
  21. file — a tool
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. rush — to hurry

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