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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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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: court · bay · stem · root · stick · bank · saw · stock

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. root — of a plant
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. root — the cause
  6. stock — shares
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. court — of a king
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bank — for money
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stock — goods
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. root — of a word
  22. court — for sport
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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