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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: present · rest · roll · firm · stock · land · bear · root

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. rest — what's left
  4. land — a country
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stock — goods
  7. present — there
  8. roll — a cake
  9. root — the cause
  10. firm — decided
  11. land — to come down
  12. roll — a list
  13. rest — a break
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. root — of a plant
  17. present — a gift
  18. bear — the animal
  19. firm — a company
  20. present — the time now
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. firm — steady
  23. land — ground
  24. root — of a word

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