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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: roll · stock · ruler · toast · patient · wax · track · root

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. root — of a word
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. roll — a list
  6. toast — bread
  7. track — a path
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. root — of a plant
  10. wax — to grow
  11. stock — shares
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. root — the cause
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. roll — a cake
  17. track — to keep track
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. track — a song
  20. stock — goods
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. ruler — for measuring

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