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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  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. root — the cause
  2. rock — music
  3. stock — goods
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. rock — a stone
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. plane — a tool
  16. ground — a position
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. stock — shares
  23. ground — the earth
  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