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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: lash · land · root · stock · dip · row · tube · content

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. root — the cause
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. root — of a word
  6. stock — shares
  7. dip — to sink
  8. land — a country
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. row — to paddle
  12. land — to come down
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. content — happy
  21. content — the amount
  22. root — of a plant
  23. stock — goods
  24. land — ground

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