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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: bore · root · date · straw · rule · stock · pitch · craft

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bore — to drill
  3. root — of a plant
  4. pitch — completely
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. root — of a word
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. craft — a skill
  13. rule — a law
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — goods
  16. bore — to tire
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. stock — shares
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. date — the fruit
  21. craft — boats
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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