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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: suit · mouse · bound · stock · root · coach · pound · ground

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — tied together
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pound — a weight
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. suit — in cards
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — crushed
  16. stock — goods
  17. bound — certain
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. suit — clothes
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stock — shares
  22. root — the cause
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ground — the earth

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