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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. root — of a plant
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stock — goods
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. foot — a measure
  10. toast — bread
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. root — the cause
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. stock — shares
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bound — certain
  22. root — of a word
  23. bound — tied together
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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