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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: craft · press · stock · wave · root · tear

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. press — a publisher
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. stock — shares
  5. root — of a plant
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — boats
  9. root — of a word
  10. press — newspapers
  11. stock — goods
  12. root — the cause
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. tear — to rip
  15. craft — a skill
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. press — to push
  18. tear — from crying

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