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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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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: saw · stock · key · march · bound · ground · root · nail

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. stock — goods
  4. key — in music
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — shares
  7. root — the cause
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. root — of a plant
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bound — obliged
  14. root — of a word
  15. march — the month
  16. ground — the earth
  17. key — for a lock
  18. march — music
  19. ground — crushed
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. ground — a position
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — certain

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