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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: club · root · bass · wound · cabinet · jam · craft · stock

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. club — for golf
  3. craft — boats
  4. root — of a plant
  5. club — for dancing
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. wound — an injury
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. root — of a word
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. stock — shares
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bass — low music
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stock — goods
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bass — the fish
  22. club — a group
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — a handicraft

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