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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. stock — goods
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. swing — music
  5. swing — in golf
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. swing — to play on
  11. chip — to eat
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. stock — shares
  15. branch — a division
  16. court — of law
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. court — of a king
  20. court — for sport
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. root — of a plant
  24. root — of a word

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