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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 · straw · content · lie · firm · rest · stock

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. lie — to recline
  3. rest — a break
  4. root — of a plant
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stock — shares
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. content — the amount
  9. root — of a word
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. root — the cause
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. prune — to trim
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. rest — what's left
  20. firm — decided
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. content — happy
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. firm — a company

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