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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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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: kick · root · stock · stand · stick · race

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. kick — in football
  3. race — humankind
  4. root — of a plant
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. root — of a word
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. race — a contest
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stand — to bear
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. root — the cause
  13. race — the arms race
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — goods
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. stand — for spectators

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