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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 120 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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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: stick · prune · stock · stand · net · deal · root · ruler

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. net — in sport
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. root — the cause
  5. net — after costs
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stock — goods
  9. net — for catching
  10. root — of a plant
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. root — of a word
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. deal — to handle
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. stock — shares

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