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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.

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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: prune · root · lie · stand · deal · staff · race · stock

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. root — of a word
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. root — the cause
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. stock — shares
  11. staff — employees
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. root — of a plant
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. lie — to recline
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. race — humankind
  18. deal — to handle
  19. stock — goods
  20. stand — to bear
  21. race — the arms race
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. race — a contest

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