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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: ground · stock · bass · calf · board · temple · bear · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. bass — low music
  3. stock — shares
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ground — the earth
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. root — of a word
  9. board — to get on
  10. root — of a plant
  11. ground — a position
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bass — the fish
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. stock — goods
  17. board — a committee
  18. bear — the animal
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. ground — crushed
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. board — a flat piece

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