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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: wave · pitcher · craft · fall · rush · stock · root · content

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. craft — a skill
  3. content — the amount
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. content — happy
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. craft — boats
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. stock — shares
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. rush — hurry
  16. fall — to drop
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. fall — the season
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. stock — goods
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. pitcher — a jug

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