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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 116 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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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: fork · fall · rock · object · root · stock · stem · net

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. net — in sport
  3. rock — music
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — an aim
  6. root — the cause
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. rock — a stone
  9. stock — shares
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stem — to come from
  12. fall — to drop
  13. stock — goods
  14. fall — the season
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. root — of a plant
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. net — after costs
  20. root — of a word
  21. object — a thing
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. net — for catching
  24. fork — in a road

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