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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stock · rest · lie · root · pit · saw · scale · trunk

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. scale — size or range
  7. root — of a plant
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — in a race
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. root — the cause
  12. scale — in music
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stock — shares
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. root — of a word
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rest — what's left
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. rest — a break

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