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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: rock · field · object · stock · root · roll · mug · fine

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. mug — a face
  3. root — of a plant
  4. field — farmland
  5. fine — high quality
  6. field — a subject
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. fine — all right
  9. stock — shares
  10. root — the cause
  11. object — to protest
  12. mug — to rob
  13. root — of a word
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. rock — music
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. field — for sport
  18. object — a thing
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. mug — a cup
  21. stock — goods
  22. rock — a stone
  23. object — an aim
  24. roll — a cake

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