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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: bass · content · mark · root · chair · lash · stock · prune

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. root — of a plant
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. content — happy
  6. stock — goods
  7. bass — low music
  8. mark — a trace
  9. prune — to trim
  10. stock — shares
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. content — the amount
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. root — of a word
  17. bass — the fish
  18. prune — to trim
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. root — the cause
  24. chair — a leader

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