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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. suit — in cards
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. ball — a dance
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. root — of a word
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fork — in a road
  16. suit — clothes
  17. swing — to play on
  18. stock — shares
  19. swing — music
  20. suit — to fit
  21. swing — in golf
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. root — of a plant

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