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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: coach · stock · scale · vault · mine · pound · bark · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. stock — goods
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. scale — in music
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. root — of a plant
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. stock — shares
  12. root — of a word
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. bark — to shout
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. scale — size or range
  18. vault — a safe
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. pound — a weight
  22. mine — for digging
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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