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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: bay · stock · cell · ground · root · field · bore · board

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. field — for sport
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. ground — the earth
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cell — a phone
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stock — shares
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bore — to tire
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. stock — goods
  16. bore — to drill
  17. field — a subject
  18. root — of a word
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. field — farmland
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ground — a position
  24. cell — in biology

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